Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 255: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if there are barriers to adequately resourcing the mental health service beyond those detailed in A Vision for Change. [21863/07]

Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 264: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will produce and implement a plan for A Vision for Change giving annualised funding projections. [21873/07]

Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 270: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the way funds expended on mental health services are tracked and reported by the Health Service Executive and her Department. [21879/07]

Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 271: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her views on whether mental health services are under-funded; and if so, the reason for same. [21880/07]

Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 272: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her views on whether the amount of funding allocated to mental health is inequitable compared with other areas of health; and if so, the reform necessary to ensure equity in the mental health services. [21881/07]

Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 255, 264, 270, 271 and 272 together.

Implementation of the individual recommendations of "A Vision for Change" the Report of the Expert Group on Mental Health Policy is a matter primarily for the HSE. In July 2006, the HSE established an implementation group to ensure that mental health services develop in a synchronised and consistent manner across the country and resource service managers and clinicians in making the recommendations in "A Vision for Change" a reality. The HSE intend to publish their implementation plan by the Autumn which is to include a timed and prioritised set of short, medium and longer term goals. In acknowledging the need to provide a dedicated and coordinated response to "A Vision for Change", the HSE appointed a full time Project Manager to progress the implementation plan.

Since 1997, significant additional revenue funding has been invested in mental health services. Approximately €1 billion will be spent on mental health services in 2007 which includes an additional €51 million which was allocated in 2006 and 2007 for the development of mental health services in line with "A Vision for Change". This is one third of the €150 million estimated by the Expert Group to fully implement the mental health strategy over 7 years. Future funding will be considered in the context of the estimates process for 2008 and subsequent years.

The HSE's national service plan outlined plans to achieve priorities during 2007. As part of the reporting procedure with my Department, the HSE provide quarterly performance monitoring reports on progress against planned activity.