Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wholeheartedly agree with the Senator. Nobody should ever be turned away, day or night. Whether the person has a substance abuse problem or whatever the issue is, the person should always receive that support.

This year we will spend €853 million on the mental health services. A total of €15 million was allocated in this year's budget which will develop into €35 million worth of spending next year. Every year we are developing new services. Every year we are hiring new staff.

A total of 1,550 positions have been approved in recent years. While not all have been filled and we have a difficulty in that area, a lot of work is under way to try and fill them. If we do not have the staff, we cannot provide 24-7 services. The priority is to ensure we can hire staff.

The National Office for Suicide Prevention, NOSP, has a budget in excess of €11 million. The funding goes to support many of the organisations provided they can show where their funding is going and they provide the service they say they do. Training forms part of what that funding is provided for, if the Senators wants clarity on that.

On the Jigsaw network, this year we will develop a further five new Jigsaw projects in Cork, Limerick and Dublin. The HSE is actively engaging with Jigsaw to develop a new programme whereby other counties and areas can actively engage with organisation. I would encourage the Senator to engage with her local organisations and the local HSE to get as much groundwork done as possible because when the conversation has finished between the HSE and Jigsaw will be the time to put her case forward. I am sure the Senator has a strong case.