Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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141. To ask the Minister for Health if he will confirm that there are 1,200 fewer mental health staff in the health services now than there were in 2006; the roles that make up this group; the full-year cost of providing a single individual member of staff in these various roles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22696/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The number of staff employed in the Mental Health Service has fluctuated in recent years due to departures for various reasons, including redundancy, retirement or staff moving to take up employment elsewhere. The HSE Mental Health Division has been actively working to improve the underlying recruitment issues largely relating to Nursing and Medical staff, with some challenges in the recruitment of Psychology staff.

Since coming into office, this Government has provided additional funding of €125 million and some 1,150 new posts to develop our mental health service and in part to ensure that at a minimum, at least one of each mental health professional discipline is represented on all Community Mental Health Teams. It is important to note that the full recurring funding 2012 to 2014 is fully available in the 2015 Mental Health Budget and the HSE is actively recruiting to fill all posts. It should also be noted that at the end of 2014, for the first time in the last couple of years, the recruitment of the new staff from the additional funding provided for mental health, is beginning to make a difference to the total numbers of staff i.e. a net gain over those leaving the services, as well as significant increases in Health and Social Care Professionals.

In relation to the particular roles of the staff who have left the service and the costs associated with this group, as this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy. If you have not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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142. To ask the Minister for Health the names and number of areas where there are no 24-7 mental health services for adults in acute mental distress; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22697/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Acute mental health services are delivered on a 24/7 basis. Where an individual is in distress, their first point of contact is the GP who can assess their situation and decide if referral to a specialist service is required. In the event of an emergency, an individual may present to a hospital emergency department where he/she will be assessed and may, if it is deemed clinically appropriate, be referred to the mental health service or may be admitted to an acute psychiatric unit.

A Vision for Changerecommends that, as part of community secondary care provision, there should be a crisis house available in each catchment area and a number of mental health services have provided crisis houses as part of their community residential provision. In addition, as part of the Government investment in mental health, 35 posts were allocated to provide for the implementation of the Clinical Programme to address self-harm presentations in emergency departments; 24 of these posts are currently in place and the remainder are in the recruitment process. The Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurse (SCAN) is also being rolled out in a number of areas across the country. In addition, a number of voluntary organisations, funded by the National Office for Suicide Prevention such as Samaritans, Pieta House, Console provide support to individuals in crisis.

In relation to the specific information requested by the Deputy, as this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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143. To ask the Minister for Health if he will confirm that just 27 of the 46 old-age mental health teams required are in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22698/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Since coming into office, this Government has prioritised the reform of our mental health services in line with the recommendations in A Vision for Change.We are committed to reducing the stigma of mental illness, ensuring early and appropriate intervention and improving access to modern mental health services in the community. Since 2012, additional funding totalling €125 million and some 1,150 new posts have been provided for mental health. These posts have been used to strengthen Community Mental Health Teams for adults and children, to enhance specialist community mental health services for older people with a mental illness and for those with an intellectual disability and mental illness, as well as expanding forensic mental health services.

The additional funding has enabled the HSE to provide a Psychiatry of Old Age Service to areas without such a service:

- Kildare

- Wicklow

- North Lee

- North Cork

- West Cork

- Kerry

- Remaining half of Mayo

The HSE Service Plan for 2015 commits to continuing to build on the investment in mental health services for General Adult, CAMHS, Psychiatry of Old Age, Liaison, and Rehabilitation and Recovery.

In relation to the specific number of Psychiatry of Old Age teams currently in place, as this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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144. To ask the Minister for Health if he will confirm that for persons with an intellectual disability, just 13 of the 300 posts recommended in A Vision for Change are in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22699/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Since coming into office, this Government has prioritised the reform of our mental health services in line with the recommendations in A Vision for Change.We are committed to reducing the stigma of mental illness, ensuring early and appropriate intervention and improving access to modern mental health services in the community. Since 2012, additional funding totalling €125 million and some 1,150 new posts have been provided for mental health. These posts have been used to strengthen Community Mental Health Teams for adults and children, to enhance specialist community mental health services for older people with a mental illness and for those with an intellectual disability and mental illness, as well as expanding forensic mental health services. The HSE Service Plan for 2015 commits to continue to build on the investment in community based mental health services in MHID (Mental Health in Intellectual Disabilities).

In relation to the specific question raised by the Deputy, as this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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145. To ask the Minister for Health if he will confirm that just five of the 150 mental health intellectual disability posts for children have been filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22700/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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As this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.