Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

294. To ask the Minister for Health if the mental health homeless outreach posts due under the December 2014 20-point action plan to tackle emergency and short-term homelessness have been recruited in quarter one of 2015; if not, the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16594/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The 20 point action plan on homelessness, which was launched last December by the Minister for the Environment, details a number of actions to address homelessness. The response to homelessness requires a collaborative approach and in this regard the HSE currently provides two consultant-led mental health services for homeless people with mental illness in Dublin and an Adult Homeless Multi-Disciplinary Team in Cork.

In 2014, an additional 7.5 posts were allocated from Mental Health Development funding to specialist Mental Health Services for people experiencing homelessness as follows:

- 4.5 posts in Dublin South,

- 1 post in Dublin North, and

- 2 posts in Cork.

To date, 3 of these posts are filled and 3 are in the recruitment process with the HSE National Recruitment Service. Recruitment is also underway in relation to the 1.5 consultant psychiatrist posts.

In 2015, the HSE Mental Health Services propose to continue the investment started in 2014 in this area and a number of new posts are expected to be approved in the near future.