Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 124: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the way she plans to ensure that the policy, A Vision for Change, will be fully implemented and that action will be taken on its recommendations for mental health here by all Government Departments whose roles it mentions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37206/06]

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
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I am committed to the full implementation of "A Vision for Change". The document forms the basis of Government policy on mental health services in the coming years.

In March 2006, I appointed an independent monitoring group to monitor progress on the implementation of the recommendations of "A Vision for Change". The group will monitor and assess progress on the implementation of all the recommendations including those which fall under the responsibility of the HSE, government departments and other relevant agencies.

Implementation of the individual recommendations of "A Vision for Change" will be a matter primarily for the HSE. The HSE recently established an implementation group to ensure that mental health services develop in a synchronised and consistent manner across the country and to guide and resource service managers and clinicians in making the recommendations in "A Vision for Change" a reality. Both of these groups will play an important role in ensuring that the recommendations are implemented in a co-ordinated and timely manner.