Eoghan Murphy (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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131. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to improve services for those with mental health difficulties in view of ongoing problems (details supplied). [4100/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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In line with the Programme for Government, my priority as Minister has been to modernise our mental health services, notwithstanding the severe resource constraints overall in recent years, and to prioritise new resources to underpin implementation of A Vision for Change.In that regard, the Government has provided an additional €125 million and some 1,150 posts for mental health comprising €35m with 416 posts in 2012, €35m with 477 posts in 2013, €20m for the recruitment of approximately 250 posts in 2014 and a further €35 million in 2015. The funding is being used to continue to strengthen Community Mental Health Teams for both adults and children, to enhance specialist community mental health services for older people with a mental illness, those with an intellectual disability and mental illness, forensic mental health services, and to enhance access counselling and psychotherapy in primary care and investment in suicide prevention measures.

In relation to the specific issue by the Deputy, there are a number of treatment options for depression. The best and most appropriate treatment option depends on the individual case, the likely cause of depression and the severity of . Treatment for depression usually involves a combination of medication, talking therapies - usually provided by a mental health professional, such as a counsellor, psychiatrist or psychologist - and self-help. In some cases, a combination of all three might be the most appropriate treatment plan for that individual.

There are many excellent counselling services currently provided across the country by both the HSE and voluntary sector. Counselling is provided across the health service including primary care, social care and within the mental health. The type of service can be provided by a range of trained health professionals and delivered to meet a clinical need at either primary or secondary care level. The Government, in keeping with its commitment in the Programme for Government to increase access to counselling and psychotherapy, has provided funding totalling €7.5 million to develop the Counselling in Primary Care (CIPC) service, which works closely with HSE Mental Health Service, under whose aegis this funding is provided. CICP is one of a range of initiatives taken by the HSE to build the capacity of primary care services to respond to mental health needs of individuals. I was pleased to note that the HSE in its National Service Plan 2015 has committed to "reviewing and improving access to psychotherapy and psychotherapeutic interventions".

If the Deputy wishes to provide me with the contact details of the person in question, I will ask the HSE to contact the individual directly.