Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 36: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason €24 million of the €51 million allocated was spent on the implementation of the recommendation of A Vision for Change, the report of the Expert Committee on Mental Health; her views on the fact that if there is no further allocation of resources in 2008 it will result in no further progress in the implementation of the recommendations of the report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15469/08]

Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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The estimated additional cost of the implementation of 'A Vision for Change' the Report of the Expert Group on Mental Health Policy is €150m over 7 — 10 years. A total of €51.2 million has been allocated since 2006 which represents over a third of the overall requirement.

In addition to the extra funding required to finance 'A Vision for Change', existing resources need to be remodelled and reallocated. As there are substantial resources already invested in mental health — €1 billion was spent on mental health services in 2007 — it is clear that implementation of the report is dependent to a much greater extent on the remodelling of existing resources, than on new additional funding. It is also clear that additional investment must be phased in parallel with the reorganisation of mental health services and resources. In view of the significant additional investment in 2006 and 2007, it is necessary to pause and review the situation in 2008, to ensure consolidation of the investment to date.

The Department of Health and Children has been advised by the HSE that some of the €51.2m development funding was not used as planned, because of competing expenditure pressures and the overriding obligation on the HSE to live within its overall Vote. As a result, some of the planned developments in mental health services have been delayed; however, some of the mental health services funded in 2006 and 2007 will be put in place in 2008. These include:

the provision of 8 additional child and adolescent mental health teams

the provision of 18 additional beds for children and adolescents at St. Anne's, Galway, St. Vincent's, Fairview and St. Stephen's Hospital, Cork, to increase the bed complement from the current provision of 12, to 30 during 2008.

The Minister for Health and Children, Mary Harney has made it clear to the HSE, in the context of their Service Plan for 2008, that there can be no question of diverting capital or development funds to meet expenditure pressures in relation to other services. The Minister also pointed out that she believes there is scope within the HSE's overall allocation to deliver further service enhancements in 2008, over and above those outlined in the Service Plan, through improved performance / productivity and realignment of existing resources. The implementation of 'A Vision for Change' will be a key priority for the recently established Office for Disability and Mental Health.