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Dáil
‹ Order of Business

Mental health staffing funding

Summary

Deputy Keaveney challenges the Government over reductions to promised specialist-staff funding and a cumulative underspend on A Vision for Change. The Taoiseach cites an additional €25 million next year, prompting disputes over the opposition’s budget proposals.

The programme for Government, as published in 2011, provided for €35 million in ring-fenced funding for the recruitment of specialist staff to facilitate the successful implementation of the policy document A Vision for Change. As the Taoiseach is aware, that commitment was rowed back on in 2012 and 2013. The expenditure involved was current in nature and its removal has resulted in a cumulative underspend of €280 million in the context of the implementation of the policy in question. Last year, the commitment was rowed back on even further when another €15 million cut was imposed. The Minister of State with responsibility for mental health services, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, indicated that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform had given her a verbal commitment to the effect that the money involved would be restored this year. The latter has not proven to be the case. In light of the fact that there has been an underspend of €280 million in respect of the implementation of mental health policy, does the Government still intend to faithfully honour the commitments made in A Vision for Change?

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Enda Kenny The Taoiseach Fine Gael

An additional €25 million is being provided in respect of this area for next year in the Estimates. In the Deputy's party's pre-budget submission, this amount was capped at €10 million.

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That is not the answer to the question I asked.

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It is true, though.

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Where is the money?

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Seán Barrett An Ceann Comhairle Fine Gael

I suggest that the Deputy table a parliamentary question in respect of the matter.

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The Taoiseach should answer my original question.

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Fianna Fáil only made provision for an additional €10 million in its pre-budget submission.

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That is not true.

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It is not true.

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