Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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2414.To ask the Minister for Health the additional funding provided for mental health in each of the last two budgets; the detailed breakdown of the status of each of the measures announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32883/24]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The total allocation for mental health services in 2024 is approximately €1.3 billion, which is the fourth year in a row in which the mental health budget has been increased.

This increase in funding for mental health services represents a significant investment which will enable continued policy implementation and service improvement in line with our national mental health policy, Sharing the Vision. This year’s budget allocation builds on the investment this Government has made over the last number of years to deliver the policy priorities of Sharing the Vision and through the provision of mental health supports across a broad continuum from mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention, to acute and specialist mental health service delivery, and enabling us to continue to deliver vital services to as many people as possible, as we move into 2024.

As part of the funding allocated to mental health services, new development funding has been secured to advance initiatives on youth mental health, and around priority groups identified within our national suicide prevention strategy Connecting for Life. This new development funding this year will be focused on increased CAMHS staffing, a new Youth Mental Health app, a referral pilot for children's community services including CAMHS (piloting an approach to service referrals known as ‘No Wrong Door’), the expansion of Suicide Bereavement Liaison Services, and expanding the Traveller Counselling Service to achieve national coverage for the first time.

Please see below table outlining the budget allocation to HSE Mental Health Services as a percentage of the health budget for the last two years:

With regard to the status of measures announced under Budget 2023, all funding has been allocated as outlined, and all measures have been progressed. All 4 posts announced for the establishment of the Child and Youth Mental Health Office have been recruited.

In addition, with regard to measures announced under Budget 2024, including the €10 million secured by me earlier this year as part of the Revised Estimates Volume (REV), the HSE have advised my Department that primary notifications are now issuing to allow Whole Time Equivalent posts to be recruited.