Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 December 2012
40. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Health the way the additional €35 million allocated for mental health services in 2012 was spent; if any of this amount has been carried over into 2013 and the way in which this €35 million allocated for 2013 will be spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57021/12]
View answerFunding from the €35 million special provision for mental health in 2012 was allocated for measures primarily to further strengthen Community Mental Health Teams in both adult and children’s mental health services, to advance activities in the area of suicide prevention, to initiate the provision of psychological and counselling services in primary care, specifically for people with mental health problems and to facilitate the re-location of mental health service users from institutional care to more independent living arrangements in their communities, in line with A Vision for Change.
414 posts were approved to implement the €35 million package of special measures for mental health. To date 17 posts have been filled and over 270 offers of employment have already been accepted and the appointments are proceeding. Most start dates are expected to commence this month and costs will start to be incurred from that point. The full year costs of all of the above measures will be incurred from 2013 onwards.
The provisional outturn for mental health services has, like many other areas, been running ahead of budget and the end of year excess in this area will be met from the unexpended portion of the €35 million. It is not possible to say yet exactly how much of the €35 million will be spent on mental health services by the end of this financial year. The announcement in Budget 2013 of a further €35 million for the continued development of our mental health services is additional to the €35 million provided in Budget 2012. I will be engaging fully with the Health Service Executive to ensure that the developments to be put in place for this additional funding are reflected in the National Service Plan for 2013. Developments are expected to include the further strengthening of Community Mental Health Teams for adults, children & adolescents, older people, Mental Health Intellectual Disabilities Teams and a suicide prevention initiatives programme.
