Approximately 35 years ago, Planning for the Future was published. That document was an open confirmation that the existing mental health services were not fit for purpose and that the rate of admissions, including involuntary admissions to hospital, was unacceptably high. It took another 21 years, and the unnecessary suffering of a substantial number of patients and their families, for the Government of the day to acknowledge that the rate of change was abysmally slow and a new approach was required. The latter came with A Vision for Change, which was to cover the period 2006 to 2016 and which was published after a long period of consultation and on the back of the suffering of patients and their families. It was a visionary and comprehensive document, which, in minute detail, showed what was required to provide mental health services of an acceptable standard throughout the country. It also took the precaution of not trusting any Government and it recommended the establishment of an independent implementation body, which was done. That body was in place for two periods. I do not know how many times I have mentioned this, but it did its job so well that it was abolished. Since then, and particularly since the notional date of 2016 came and went, this Government, unfortunately, has utterly failed to implement A Vision for Change in any meaningful way. It has refused, as a measure of bona fides, to re-establish the independent body which was so effective and instead resorted to delays and obfuscations, a desktop review, which was completed in five weeks and left sitting on a table, and a refreshing of A Vision for Change. What is necessary is the reinstatement of the independent body and the roll-out and operation of A Vision for Change.

I mention all of this in the context of Galway, where there is a brand new facility but no staff. This new facility was supposed to bring change, where there are - I am not given to exaggeration - at least four delayed discharges and a number of clinical psychologists, occupational therapists and social worker posts that cannot be filled. I am told the figure is approximately 28. The moratorium-embargo that the Taoiseach repeatedly tells us does not exist actually does exist. One would need the help of Kafka to try to understand the language coming from the Government because I do not understand it. I have a list of the vacancies but time precludes from going through it. All of the applicants attended for interview, were successful and offered jobs but no sanction has been forthcoming from Dublin. The Taoiseach tells us boldly and unacceptably that there is no moratorium. My question to him is in regard to the €12 million that supposedly cannot be spent. I want an absolute assurance that that €12 million will not go back into the coffers of the HSE and that it will be used, in the first instance, in respect of Galway such that the four delayed discharges can be immediately dealt with and other patients can be treated in the hospital and, second, to fund essential posts.

Mental health is an issue in which I have a great interest and one that is of major concern to the Government. I do not agree with the contention that A Vision for Change has not been implemented at all but I do think it needs to be replaced by a new document. It has reached the pointed where it needs to be renewed. A lot of things have happened since A Vision for Change was first adopted. For a start, we have moved away from treating mental illness largely in hospital settings, or psychiatric institutions as they used to be called, to community settings. There use to be nearly 20,000 people in psychiatric hospitals and mental institutions throughout the country. The position has totally changed. It is now a largely community-delivered service. That brings with it new challenges but I think it is a much better situation than in the past. We have also seen the development, for example, of the National Office of Suicide Prevention and the success it has had in reducing suicide rates over the past couple of years and new programmes such as, for example, Jigsaw and the Children and Young People's Services Committees, CYPSC. We have seen the progress made in recent months in reducing the waiting lists for child and adult mental health services, CAMHS, which are down by approximately 20% or 30% in the past few months and the 24-hour helpline that I launched with the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, only last week. We have over 1,000 different mental health services, but some overlap and there are gaps. People often find it difficult to know which is the right service for them at the right time. This new service helps to point individuals in the right direction.

In terms of the money the Deputy mentioned, I often hear figures like €12 million, €35 million and so on. We should acknowledge, and we should at least know in this House, that the budget for mental health for 2020 is over €1 billion. It has increased from approximately €750 million when this Government came to office to over €1 billion now. Of that, there is an increase of €39 million for next year, comprising €12 million or €13 million for new developments and €26 million to pay staff better and make improvements in the context of staffing, etc. It is an extra €39 million for mental health services next year and a budget of over €1 billion for the first time ever. This shows the level of resources that are required and being provided to our mental health services.

The spend in Galway is not a matter for me. I am sure €39 million would cover those costs many times over but it is the responsibility of the national director of mental health services to decide how it is best allocated. I am sure there are many examples of how that money could be spent all around the country but it would not be right, or possible, for me, to identify one and direct that that be done. The national director of mental health services has to look at the entire list of things that could be done and decide how best the €39 million can be spent.

I am not sure when it is going to dawn on the Taoiseach that in order to restore faith in the political process, we need language to mean something. A Vision for Change is not out of date. The desktop review did not say that it is out of date. Since the notional date of January 2016 expired, this Government has left a vacuum. The independent monitoring body, which the Taoiseach failed to mention, should be re-established.

On the €12 million, I took the precaution of raising it in the Dáil more than once. I sent a number of emails to the Minister regarding the €12 million that cannot be spent. I await replies to all of those emails. On Galway, does the Taoiseach, who is also a doctor, believe it is right that a mental health service has no psychologist, occupational therapist or social worker of the level that is required such that the treatment being provided is medication therapy as opposed to non-medication therapy? Is this in keeping with A Vision for Change? The statements on suicide we have had in the Dáil over the past four years and all of the various elements were unnecessary. What needs to be done is set out in A Vision for Change. Deputies should be calling for it to be updated and implemented and for the re-establishment of the independent monitoring body. In the context of the €12 million, will the Taoiseach tell us in plain language that it will be spent and that he does not stand over a situation where there are four delayed discharges and posts not being filled?

When I say it is out of date, what I mean is that it is a document which was published some 15 or 20 years ago and which needs to be renewed and updated. That is what we intend to do. I will return to the Deputy on the question of the independent monitoring body. I must talk to the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health on that.

The acute adult mental health unit at University Hospital Galway was officially opened in the summer by the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly. This is a 50-bed unit designed to replace an old facility that was not fit for purpose. The bed numbers increased from 45 to 50 as a result of the old facility being closed and the new, modern unit being opened. It is a modern safe therapeutic environment which will enhance the Galway Roscommon mental health services. I will check on staffing and revert to the Deputy. I can assure her that the €12 million will be spent. However, that is for 2020 and it is not quite 2020 yet.