John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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445. To ask the Minister for Health the progress being made with regard to the Programme for Government commitment to extend the remit of the National Treatment Purchase Fund to secure timely assessment for both child and adult psychological services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49037/21]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) works with public hospitals, to offer and provide the funding for treatment to clinically suitable long waiting patients who are on an acute hospital inpatient/day case waiting list for surgery, having been referred on to such a list following clinical assessment by a consultant/specialist at an outpatient clinic.

As psychological assessment services are generally provided in community, not acute hospital settings, they would not meet current NTPF criteria. Any change in the function of the NTPF to include the provision for treatment for patients outside of the acute hospital setting would require primary legislation. Therefore the operational and legislative implications of this need to be considered.

However, the overarching goal is to reduce these waiting lists so that children and adults can secure timely assessments. The Deputy will be aware that earlier this year I announced €4 million in funding for local initiatives to reduce waiting lists for children in primary care psychology.

In addition, 2021 saw a record budget for mental health services of over €1.1 billion to continue the progress in the development of mental health services, and I am committed to the further development of our mental health services, including as part of Budget 2022.