Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 October 2021
244. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a comprehensive report on the mental health budget for 2021: the budget allocated; the way in which it was spent; the services it was spent on; the details of overspends or underspends; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51492/21]
View answer248. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health when the 2021 mental health budget was released to his Department: the amount which was not released; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51496/21]
View answer249. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Health the amount of funding from the mental health budget which has been withheld from the HSE by his Department in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51497/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 244, 248 and 249 together.
2021 saw a then record budget for mental health of over €1.114 billion, including €23 million to commence implementation of many of the short-term recommendations of Sharing the Vision in 2021 and the HSE National Service Plan (NSP) and €15 million to address the additional challenges posed by Covid-19.
An additional €10 million in once off funding has been made available for further investment in mental health services in 2021, with a particular emphasis on community and voluntary based supports.
As part of the annual budgetary process the Department releases funding for specific new initiatives set out in the HSE's National Service Plan subject to the receipt, review and approval of implementation plans in relation to each initiative.
Of the €23 million for new initiatives, €8.737 million has been released to the HSE. This funding has enabled the HSE to progress specific initiatives, including crisis resolution teams, peer support programmes, individual placement supports, development of the national clinical programmes, the recently launched DBT training programme and the recruitment of a bereavement co-ordinator under Connecting for Life , the National Strategy to Reduce Suicide.
The Deputy will be aware that the pandemic and the cyber-attack have caused difficulties across the entirety of the health service, including Mental Health Services. Recruitment and retention of staff also remain difficulties that are continually being addressed through national and international advertising campaigns.
