Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 626: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if the budget for mental health of €708 million contained in the Health Service Executive's service plan for 2011 has been or will be cut; and if so, the amount of same and if he sanctioned the cut. [9613/11]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The Health Service Executive submitted its National Service Plan for 2011 to the then Minister for Health and Children on 17th December 2010. This plan set out a budget of €708 million for Mental Health Services for the year, and was approved by the then Minister on 21st December 2010 under Section 31 (8) of the Health Act 2004. Despite significant global budget reductions applied to the HSE in 2011, the reduction of funding for mental health services is limited to 1.8% in the current year. This amount was determined on the basis of reducing costs while maintaining, in so far as practicable, the level of services approved in 2010 and will be spent in line with nationally agreed policy for mental health services.

If the Health Service Executive proposes to amend a Service Plan it must submit its proposed amendment to me as Minister for my consideration. The HSE has made no proposals to me along the lines suggested by the Deputy.