Written answer
Mental Health Services Funding
401. Deputy Seán Barrett asked the Minister for Health the amount allocated to the mental health budget in each of the years 2015 to 2017; the 2012 funding for mental health; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40751/17]
Comment on this
Mental Health Funding
The overall gross non-capital mental health budget for 2012 – 17 is as follows:
*includes €2m transferred from another HSE Directorate
Since 2012, around €140 million has been added to the HSE Mental Health Budget; an increase of around 20% between 2012 and 2017.
Over 1,150 new posts have been recruited over the period 2012-16, including some 270 dedicated to CAMHS, to implement the principles and objectives of A Vision for Change.
Key priorities to be addressed in the HSE 2017 Service Plan include youth mental health, further improvement to child & adolescent (CAMHS) and adult services, older people's services and further enhanced out of hours response for those in need of urgent services.
The Programme for Partnership Government gives a clear commitment to increasing our mental health budget annually, as resources allow, to expand existing services.