SOSAD funding
Deputy Stanley said SOSAD mental health services were running out of money and needed a service level agreement and funding. The Taoiseach said engagement with the HSE was ongoing and that any funding application would have to proceed through the normal section 39 process.
The programme for Government sets out to improve mental health services. The SOSAD, Save our Sons and Daughters, organisation provides vital services and is running out of cash. It has made representations to try to move forward. It provides counselling, support and mental health services. It only has enough money to keep going for a number of weeks. In 2024, it provided services for 1,114 clients. In County Laois, it supported 229 people, with 2,891 hours of services.
This is a vital service. It takes referrals from a number of bodies, including the HSE. It is made up mainly of volunteers and has only 16 full-time staff nationally. It is trying to get a service level agreement in place. The Minister for Health is here today. Perhaps she will address this issue. The organisation needs €60,000 a month to keep going for the next five months or so. That is the same cost as the bicycle shed in this complex. The more than €300,000 spent on it would keep SOSAD going.
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We know our mental health services have gaps and deficiencies.
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Will the Taoiseach prioritise it and commit to providing the money-----
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-----and service level agreement that the SOSAD organisation needs?
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The Minister of State, Deputy Mary Butler, met SOSAD before Christmas. My understanding is that there has been ongoing engagement between SOSAD and the HSE mental health services. That will continue. Engagement is continuing with the HSE in Louth-Meath and SOSAD on the steps required to complete a funding application. It is doing very good work. As I said, the Minister met the organisation to outline the steps that need to be taken for any potential funding application under the section 39 process.
As the Deputy knows, as per any negotiation between the HSE and a charity organisation, information such as audited accounts, annual reports, governance arrangements and a board of management are required so that the HSE can undertake due diligence as part of its consideration. SOSAD is now working to provide all of that information to the HSE. It is to be hoped we can get this sorted.