Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 September 2021
1412. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the areas in which the additional €10 million allocated to mental health due to the impact of Covid-19 in 2021 announced in February 2021 has been spent to date in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42868/21]
View answer1413. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the breakdown of expenditure of the €10 million allocated to mental health due to the impact of Covid-19 in 2021 announced in February 2021 spent to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42869/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1412 and 1413 together.
In February, an Taoiseach announced that €10 million in funding would be made available to meet the projected increase in demand for mental health supports arising from Covid-19 as part of Covid-19 Resilience and Recovery 2021: The Path Ahead. This funding provision was made available as a once-off measure.
My officials have been working with their counterparts in the HSE to identify and develop proposals for where such funding could best be used. While work is ongoing to finalise proposals, indicative areas for consideration have been identified. These include enhanced signposting and access to existing mental health services, increased channels for signposting, increased provision for service delivery, psychosocial response planning at CHO level, and initiatives for children and young people of school age, at third level and in non-education settings. Options for a research, monitoring and evaluation piece are also being examined.
I am closely monitoring work on the proposals and it is envisaged that initiatives will be starting in Quarter 4 2021. Officials in my Department, those in the HSE and I are working hard to ensure measures across the priority areas identified are implemented as soon as possible.
Question No. 1413 answered with Question No. 1412.
