Mental health funding
Senator Freeman criticised cuts to the mental health budget despite the Darkness into Light event's success, leading to a lengthy back-and-forth over figures and whether funding had increased. The Leader defended the allocation and cited recruitment and new facilities, while Freeman maintained the service remained underfunded.
I thank all of the Members of both Houses who participated in the Darkness into Light event. It was one of the biggest turnouts we had had. Up to 200,000 people participated in events across the country last Saturday morning and I thank all of those who took part. I am also grateful for the lovely warm congratulations I have received today. However, the dramatic cut in the mental health budget is still a problem. I keep bringing up the issue all the time. According to an article in The Irish Times yesterday, Deputy Micheál Martin has criticised the Taoiseach and the budget cuts. The Taoiseach took part in the Darkness into Light event held in Canada on Saturday morning. It was shown around the world that he was participating in the walk. As the leader of the country, does he not see it as a little ironic, or quite funny in some ways, that he did this after sanctioning the cuts in the mental health budget?
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The budget was increased, a Chathaoirligh.
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The Leader will have ample time to respond. I will prevent Members from interrupting him.
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The sum of €35 million about which I am talking was reduced to €15 million this year. That was grossly unfair. As usual, the mental health service is the Cinderella when it comes to dealing with all of the social issues. It is always the one from which money is removed which is used as a stopgap in some other area that the Taoiseach wishes to fill. I am surprised that the leader of the country had the neck to walk in the Darkness into Light event. When the matter was brought up by Deputy Micheál Martin, the Taoiseach said he was allowing the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, who has no power whatsoever, to meet the Fianna Fáil spokesperson on the area and insisted that this would resolve everything. I am calling for the Taoiseach to meet Deputy Micheál Martin. I would also like to attend that meeting to tell the Taoiseach the truth about what is happening in our nation.
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I support what Senator Lombard and my namesake, Senator Grace O'Sullivan, have said about the gorse fires that have been spreading in west and the south west in recent days.
It is a very serious situation. Setting fire to bog is as old as time itself and it is normally done in a very controlled and responsible way. Perhaps it is the weather we have at the moment or people being more irresponsible. We had a long debate here on the Heritage Bill with the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Humphreys, where we tried to tweak the envelope for the time it was legal to cut hedges. One man with one match can do an awful lot more damage than all the hedgecutting in the world. This situation has to be taken in hand and monitored. I do not know the legalities or legal history but I do keep an eye on court cases and hearings in my district and I cannot recall reading of too many prosecutions of people acting irresponsibly in this regard. One does not have to be Sherlock Holmes to know who is doing this, who would be likely, or motivated, to do it. I suggest that the Minister come back to the House and discuss with us her plans to deal with this. It is well-nigh catastrophic now. We have seen houses threatened and one burnt. It is a danger to human life and to the emergency service personnel who have to go into these infernos.
I welcome the announcement today by Shannon Airport of the €15 million upgrade of the runway, which commences immediately. This project will create 100 jobs over a 12 month period. A contract has been given under all the proper auspices. It is the longest runway in the country at almost two miles. Its enhancement will underpin the great success we have seen in Shannon in the past couple of years. Not so long ago we were debating the future of Shannon Airport. It has increased business by 24% in the past couple of years, which is a huge benefit to tourism in the entire mid-west region, counties Clare, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary and Galway. Good news stories like this have to be recognised and applauded.