Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

With regard to the budget, I wish to highlight the homelessness issue. Homelessness is one of the greatest scandals of our time.The fact that children are forced to grow up in hotel rooms is totally unacceptable. The imposition of rent controls should be a priority. I do not agree with the granting of tax relief to landlords who are driving rents up to unsustainable levels. The housing crisis cannot be solved by the private sector but needs capital spending on new social homes. The first-time buyers grant will not make homes affordable. It will push people into huge mortgage debt again and the benefits will go, once more, to builders.

I welcome the increase in duty on tobacco but an increase in the tax on alcohol, which is also detrimental to the health of our people and a significant burden on our health service, should have been imposed. The increased income from this tax could then have been ring-fenced for the relevant services. I am not involved in the temperance movement or anti-alcohol but I see the impact of alcohol on a daily basis. I work at the coal face in this area and I know that alcohol can have a devastating impact on individuals and families.

While I welcome the extra €1 billion for our health services, I hope that some of that additional money will be spent on our mental health services, for which there is such a need. As we all know, referrals to the child and adolescent mental health service, CAMHS, increased by more than 50% between 2011 and 2014. Too many people in mental health distress who are at risk of suicide are being forced to present at accident and emergency departments or Garda stations because there are no appropriate services outside of office hours. We must see continued investment in community mental health services and 24-hour services are needed for people who are particularly at risk of suicide. Staffing levels for specialist mental health services for particular high-risk groups of adults and children require urgent attention. In 2009, the Mental Health Commission issued an amendment to its code of practice relating to the admission of children under the Mental Health Act of 2001 which reads as follows:

In respect of the admission of a child to an approved centre for adults, the following applies:a) No child under 16 years is to be admitted to an adult unit in an approved centre from 1st July 2009;

b) No child under 17 years is to be admitted to an adult unit in an approved centre from 1st December 2010; and

c) No child under 18 years is to be admitted to an adult unit in an approved centre from 1st December 2011.

Is this code of practice relating to the admission of children under the Mental Health Act 2001 being implemented? This is a matter that requires urgent attention. It is extremely important that we protect our vulnerable citizens and who is more vulnerable in society than children and fellow citizens who are in mental health distress?