Maura Hopkins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, and wish her every success in her new role. Minding our mental health is a constant requirement every day of our lives. How we feel filters into everything we do and experience, from being involved in our community to having a job to meeting friends to financial stress, online criticism, feelings of inadequacy, bullying and feelings of depression. We must ensure at all times that all people know how valued they are. We must ensure in times of difficulty that we have someone to turn to, someone who will listen, that we are equipped with the coping mechanisms to deal with life's challenges, and above all that we have a mental health service which supports us when we need it.

The Mental Health Commission's annual report for 2015 published a number of days ago clearly emphasises that much work needs to continue in developing a properly resourced community-based mental health service with a focus on prevention and recovery. At present it is of major concern that just under half the HSE's community mental health services provide support seven days a week. It is unacceptable that in 2016, substantial areas of the country are still without full weekend support for people with a mental health difficulty. I very much welcome the contribution of the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, today that we need more community mental health teams, together with an improved 24-7 response and liaison services.The intensive home treatment team established approximately a year ago in Roscommon works on a seven-days-per-week basis to treat more people at home. It also allows for greater family involvement. It has a consultant psychiatrist, an occupational therapist, a psychologist, a nurse and a social worker. The feedback I have received from number of service users is positive, but teams such as these need to be further developed and properly resourced so that a holistic service is provided, the service user is very much at the centre of his or her own care plan and appropriate supports are provided where necessary.

The restoration of the €35 million for mental health was absolutely necessary in light of the challenges we face in delivering a proper service. I thank the Minister of State, along with the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, for ensuring its restoration. Following publication of the report recently, the chairperson of the Mental Health Commission stated there is still a significant absence of psychology, social work, occupational therapy and other multidisciplinary team members. There are distinct difficulties in recruiting specific professional staff despite funding being made available in 2015 for an additional 700 staff. I welcome the focus of the Minister of State on the challenges we face regarding recruitment. The HSE's reintroduction of a one year post-registration programme in psychiatric nursing is most welcome. What changes will the HSE and Department of Health recommend as needing to be made to recruit increased staff for all multidisciplinary team positions?

I very much welcome the establishment of the youth mental health task force to which the Minister of State referred. It is absolutely critical that, from an early age, young people have the coping skills to deal with life's challenges so that we deal with prevention rather than cure. As the Minister of State is well aware, much urgent work needs to be done in the area of child and adolescent mental health services. They are not properly resourced and children and adolescents are being assessed and treated at inappropriate facilities.

Voluntary organisations provide vital services, particularly in the context of education on mental health well-being and counselling services. However, they need to be provided with proper funding support from the HSE.

I am enthusiastic about the need for a review of A Vision for Change, which the Minister of State mentioned. It is absolutely critical that we respond to the changing demands of our society and I hope a review would allow us to plan our mental health services to respond to these needs. I very much look forward to working with the Minister of State and I thank her for the opportunity to contribute to this debate.