Written answers

Wednesday, 20 April 2016

Department of Health

Mental Health Services Funding

Photo of Billy KelleherBilly Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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339. To ask the Minister for Health when the €35 million allocated for mental health services will be drawn down; if he expects the full €35 million to be spent in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7584/16]

Photo of Kathleen LynchKathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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In line with the provisions of the Service Plan, additional funding for specific initiatives in mental health, and in the areas of primary care, therapy services for young people and the nursing task force pilot implementation, will be allocated as specific implementation plans are agreed. The Department of Health is currently examining proposals from the HSE relating to the development of mental health services, including early intervention and counselling, children's mental health services and the enhancement of a range of existing and new specialist mental health services. It is expected that a decision on these proposals will be made shortly. Some of these proposals for the €35m allocation for mental health involve the recruitment of extra staff for new service developments.

As staff recruitment takes time, the Service Plan provides that time related savings from these and other planned initiatives in the areas set out above, on a once-off basis, would be used to maintain services in home care and transitional care beds, and for vaccine procurement, but not for hospitals, acute services, or to address waiting lists. As the initiatives planned for mental health are approved, arrangements will be made for the release of funding, having regard to the overall Service Plan provisions outlined above.

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