Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Cathaoirleach and the Leader will be aware that for too long the mental health services have been the Cinderella of the health service with regard to proactiveness and investment. While there was an increase in financing for that sector in the budget, which I welcome, it is nowhere near what is required. I ask the Leader that we would have a specific and complete debate on our mental health services given that at the beginning of this year more than 10,000 young people were waiting for an appointment with the child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS.

In the context of that debate I want the Leader to look at a novel idea that has been advanced recently by Councillor Kenneth Egan and supported by Deputy Neale Richmond from the other House. This is the concept that money taken from Garda seizures as proceeds of crime and drugs be ring-fenced for mental health services. This is done right across Europe and in many other countries. To date this year €16 million has been seized from organised crime by the Garda national drugs unit and by the Criminal Assets Bureau, CAB. I want that money ring-fenced for addiction services, for counselling and for the various mental health services. If that money was ring-fenced it would have a number of good effects. One would be dealing with the roots of the crime with the money accrued through that crime at the source of the crime. It is a very good suggestion. We should run with it and at a minimum it should be debated in this House in the context of a general debate. I would welcome that.