Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Question 447: To ask the Minister for Health the action he will take to ensure that front-line mental health services are not adversely affected by a reduction in his Department's funding. [38830/11]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 453: To ask the Minister for Health in the absence of a funding stream under the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government for tenancy sustainment support, if he will ensure that rehabilitation and recovery teams are adequately resourced to provide ongoing support to persons with a mental health problem to enable them to live independently in the community. [38858/11]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 454: To ask the Minister for Health if he will ensure that reduced welfare spending does not negatively impact on the mental health of the population. [38859/11]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 455: To ask the Minister for Health if he will adequately resource the directorate for mental health services to ensure that it contains the necessary change management capacity and skills to drive implementation of A Vision for Change. [38860/11]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 456: To ask the Minister for Health if he will invest in support to effectively link persons with a mental health problem with work. [38861/11]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 457: To ask the Minister for Health if he will ensure that the overall mental health service staffing level is maintained and that funding for posts is preserved at the level of budget 2011 to allow recruitment of staff to reconfigure services towards AVFC model. [38862/11]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 475: To ask the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding mental health teams. [38995/11]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 447, 453 to 457, inclusive, and 475 together.

The Government is committed to implementing A Vision for Change and reforming our model of healthcare delivery so that more and better quality care is delivered in the community. In this regard I have asked the HSE to prepare an implementation plan, which will identify specific areas of A Vision for Change that can be progressed over the next three years, with timelines, detailed costs, structures and identifiable person(s) responsible for driving the change. The question of a Directorate for mental health and issues related to staffing levels particularly in community mental health teams will be examined in this context.

It is the Government's intention that over time access to modern mental health services in the community will be significantly improved. In this regard an additional €35 million was announced in yesterday's budget for mental health services in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government. This funding will enable the HSE to enhance the multidisciplinary composition of the existing community mental health teams and focus on key priorities in mental health.

A Vision for Change also recognised that all citizens should be treated equally and that access to employment for people with mental health difficulties should be on the same basis as any other citizen. We are endeavouring, through housing, education and community based health care, to provide the environment in which employment opportunities can be availed of by all on an equal basis.