On 19 September many of us were at a conference on mental health in Dublin Castle that the Minister had been instrumental in organising. Like many others, I sat there listening to the various presentations and inputs, and one could be forgiven for thinking we have a service that is comprehensive, extensive and accessible to those who present with mental health issues. Some progress is being made but I will highlight an area where absolutely no progress is being made, that is, dual diagnosis, the coexistence of substance misuse and a mental health issue in an individual. The mental health issue could range from psychosis or bipolar disorder to depression or an anxiety disorder. I know this is not the Minister's area of expertise but I hope my highlighting of it will enable him to have a conversation about it with the Minister for Health.

There has been discussion on the demand and the need for this since the late 1990s. In 2004 a report by Dr. Liam MacGabhann of DCU raised two particular findings: first, that 76% of services failed to provide a specific service for those with dual diagnosis; second, that a majority of the service providers agree that a fully integrated service would be the most effective management of dual diagnosis. However, since then, there has been little or no movement except a downward movement. Mental health and addiction services are not currently able to treat people holistically because they are treating the condition and not the person. Addiction services address the addiction; mental health services address the mental health issue. However, a recent report indicates that two thirds of those who die by suicide have both addiction and mental health issues.

Just 20 minutes ago I took a phone call from someone I know in this exact situation. Her brother has a psychotic condition and is being seen by a psychiatrist and being given medication. Because the condition is not being adequately addressed, this young man has been turning to alcohol and other drugs to try to deal with his symptoms. His behaviour has become much more aggressive, with the result that his family fear for their safety. They have had to call the Garda. He spent hours yesterday and today in a police station. He is currently in a police station waiting for an ambulance to take him to an accident and emergency department, where I doubt very much he will get the service he needs.

The Minister will tell me a review of A Vision for Change is ongoing, but as dual diagnosis was not covered in A Vision for Change in the first place, there cannot be a review in this regard. He may also tell me a new national dual diagnosis service is being set up under the HSE. My question is whether the Minister will ensure there will be real collaboration between that service and those who work in this area and those who struggle with addiction. What they are hearing is that the model of care will be drawn up and then there will be a meeting. It seems there will be a top-down, specialist-driven, consultant-knows-best approach that will not take into account the views of those who are actively working in the area and those struggling with addiction, who have a voice themselves and can give their opinion. It will not do this young man or his family any good unless that collaboration happens.

I do not profess to be an expert on this area. I thank the Deputy for acknowledging the limitations of what we can commit to here in the House. This was an issue we put a lot of focus on about a year ago in the context of homelessness, particularly in terms of the need for the State to intervene in a more comprehensive way to try to deal with both addiction and mental health in a way that was complementary, as opposed to a silo-based approach where there are two different approaches trying to deal with challenges people face that are very much intertwined with each other. If it would be helpful, I will happily arrange a meeting between the Minister, Deputy Harris, and Deputy O'Sullivan so she can talk to him in some detail about her specific concerns and proposals in the context of what the HSE is doing, the new national drugs strategy which has recently been published and the review of A Vision for Change. There is a lot happening within the Government to try to grapple with this policy issue. I suspect the Deputy has particular things she wants to raise in that context and I would happily try to facilitate that for her.

I also point to the increased funding we have provided specifically around homelessness services. Identifying the multidisciplinary nature of the supports the State needs to provide is a very clear recognition of some of the issues the Deputy has been raising. The funding for homelessness services into next year will increase by some €18 million. Much of that support is in the context of family transition hubs, for example, and the supports for families and individuals in emergency accommodation will be focused on the type of multidisciplinary approach the Deputy is seeking.

Collaboration and talking with those who are directly involved is vital because there are unique factors and unique needs with regard to those who are in addiction. We have made some progress in the north inner city and in supports for workers. However, in the west, for example, mental health services will not deal with somebody who is currently in addiction and, because there is no addiction service there, those people are left with absolutely nothing. There is also a need to look at the term "dual diagnosis", which is an old psychiatric term from the United States of the 1950s and 1960s. We are saying that, for those in addiction, it is a mental health issue. The other part of the triangle is those who are homeless. Many of those who are homeless are also presenting with a mental health issue. It is this integrated service, with people talking together and collaborating, that will give the best outcome.

I am struck by the fact that the people I am talking about will not get next or near a mortgage, tracker or otherwise, unless they get into recovery. If they are in recovery, they will have their lives back and can do those things.

I do not disagree with any of that. The most useful thing to do is to make sure the Deputy is fully plugged in to what the Government is doing in this area across different Departments, but in particular led by the Minister for Health in the context of mental health services. I will ensure there is a follow-up from the question today.