A Vision for Change review
Deputy Connolly asked when the long-promised review of A Vision for Change would be published and whether the implementation body had been reinstated. The Taoiseach said the academic review was complete and would be ready soon, allowing the committee to be established, and said the new Minister of State would correspond with her.
A Vision for Change was a visionary document and I do not believe anyone had a problem with its content.
The problem was the failure to implement it and the disbandment of the implementation body. Its life span was completed in January 2016, a year and a half ago. There have been repeated promises and I am aware from informal chat with the previous Minister of State that there might be some progress, but where is the promised review and when will it be published? Most importantly, has the implementation body been reinstated?
Comment on this
I am advised that the academic review of the A Vision for Change strategy is now complete and will be ready quite soon. That will allow the implementation committee to be established. I do not have an exact timeframe but I will ask the new Minister of State with responsibility for mental health, Deputy Jim Daly, to correspond directly with the Deputy on it. I am advised by the former Minister of State that it is now in train.