Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 264: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when a directorate of mental health will be established. [37422/08]

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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'A Vision for Change' — The Report of the Expert Group on Mental Health Policy recommends the establishment of a National Mental Health Service Directorate. The Health Service Executive has primary responsibility for implementing the recommendations of 'A Vision for Change' and is therefore the appropriate body to consider the particular matter raised by the Deputy. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have the matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 265: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason only two of the promised 300 mental health centres State-wide have their full complement of staff; and the steps she is taking to address this shortfall in staffing levels. [37423/08]

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services was assigned to the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004 and funding for all health services has been provided as part of its overall vote. The Executive, therefore, is the appropriate body to consider the particular matter raised by the Deputy. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have the matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 266: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the fact that 50% of the psychology posts in mental health services remain unfilled due to the Health Service Executive embargo; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37424/08]

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services was assigned to the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004 and funding for all health services has been provided as part of its overall vote. The Executive, therefore, is the appropriate body to consider the particular matter raised by the Deputy. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have the matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 267: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the recent mental gap action programme, October 2008, from the World Health Organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37425/08]

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The WHO programme to which the Deputy refers is concerned with the treatment gap for mental disorders in the developing world. In this country, substantial resources have been invested in mental health in recent years. Since 1997, expenditure on mental health services has trebled from €326 million to €984 million in 2006. In 2007, an estimated €1 billion was spent on these services, which equates to 7.7% of total health expenditure. This amount only reflects expenditure on specialist mental health services. Some 90% of public mental health services are provided at primary care level. Expenditure on these services is not captured in the figure of 7.7%.

Our policy for mental health is outlined in 'A Vision for Change,the Report of the Expert Group on Mental Health Policy, which was launched in January 2006 and which provides a framework for action to develop modern, high quality mental health services over a seven to ten year period. A total of €51.2 million has been allocated since 2006 for the development of mental health services in line with the Report. Implementation of 'A Vision for Change' is dependent to a much greater extent on the remodelling of existing resources than on new additional funds. Additional investment must be phased in parallel with the reorganisation of mental health services and resources.

Funding will be provided in 2009 for 35 additional therapy posts for child and adolescent mental health services. In addition, once-off funding of €1.75m in total is being provided for suicide prevention initiatives and for mental health projects supporting service users and carers.