Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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397. To ask the Minister for Health the number of inspectors currently working for the Mental Health Commission; how many inspectors will be needed for the proposed expansion of the Mental Health Commission’s role under the Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2023; and the costs associated with same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26865/24]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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There are currently 14 WTE and 1 vacancy at Assistant Inspector level in the Mental Health Commission (MHC), working to the Inspector of Mental Health Services.

The Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2023, as written, does not appear to grant any new statutory powers to the Commission to inspect, register and regulate mental health services outside of inpatient settings ('approved centres') so it is not possible to estimate what impact, if any, the 2023 Amendment Bill might have on resources required by the Commission.

The Government is in the final stages of preparing a comprehensive Mental Health Bill. A key proposal of the Government's Bill is to provide a robust legal framework for the expansion of the Commission's regulatory powers to include all community mental health services, including community CAMHS.

While the Department expects many of the proposed changes in the forthcoming Government Mental Health Bill to be dealt with generally within existing resources, preliminary work on costing the additional resources required by the Mental Health Commission, as the regulator of mental health services, and the HSE, as the main provider of mental health services, has been carried out.

The MHC engaged Deloitte in 2021 to review the operating model for their Regulatory Team, which includes the Inspectorate and Standards and Quality Assurance divisions. This was reviewed in early 2024. The MHC propose to increase the numbers of Assistant Inspectors to 31, who will report to six Deputy Inspectors.

This would cost in the region of €1.6m, based on existing salary levels.

A more in-depth exercise to estimate projected costs will be carried out prior to enactment of the Bill. Officials in my Department will work with key stakeholders to ready the sector for the commencement of the new Mental Health Act and will include the allocation of additional resources through the annual Estimates process.

More broadly, mental health services are moving towards more community-based care for people accessing mental health services, and away from prolonged care in inpatient mental health settings where possible, in line with our national mental health policy, Sharing the Vision, and Sláintecare. Continued investment in mental health services at all levels, including community and inpatient services, will be needed to ensure the continued efficacy and improvement of services and to continue to uphold the rights of people accessing services.

The Mental Health Bill was granted priority drafting for publication in the current legislative session and intensive work is ongoing to finalise the drafting of the Bill to ready it for publication in the coming weeks. The Bill will replace the existing Mental Health Acts 2001 – 2022 and overhaul our approach to mental health legislation.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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398. To ask the Minister for Health whether there were any derogations from the HSE recruitment embargo provided to mental health services in the period November 2023 to April 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26866/24]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond Directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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399. To ask the Minister for Health the current staffing compliment of the Children and Youth Mental Health Office, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26867/24]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond Directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.