Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 31 January 2008
14 Deputy Frank Feighan asked the Minister for Health and Children her views on the fact that 43% of the Vision for Change development funds in 2006 and 60% of funding provided in 2007 was diverted to meet expenditure pressures in other areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2668/08]
Amharc ar fhreagra45 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health and Children the amount of additional funding that will be available in 2008 to implement A Vision for Change; if she is satisfied that this allocation is adequate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2727/08]
Amharc ar fhreagra55 Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Health and Children if funds of €51m were allocated in 2006 and 2007 for the development of the mental health services in line with A Vision for Change have been diverted to other service areas; and if so, the areas in which this diversion took place and the allocation of extra funding for the continued implementation of the development of the mental health services recommendations contained in the report. [2613/08]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 14, 45 and 55 together.
The Report of the Expert Group on Mental Health Policy, "A Vision for Change", which was launched in January 2006, provides a framework for action to develop modern, high quality mental health services over a seven to ten year period.
The estimated additional cost of the implementation of "A Vision for Change" is €150m over 7-10 years. A total of €51.2 million has been allocated since 2006 which represents over a third of the overall requirement.
There are substantial resources already invested in mental health. In 2007, it is estimated that €1 billion was spent on these services. In addition to the extra funding required, existing resources need to be remodelled and reallocated. Indeed, implementation of "A Vision for Change" is dependent to a much greater extent on the remodelling of existing resources than on new funding. Both aspects of the additional investment and the reorganisation of existing mental health services and resources must be managed in parallel. In view of the significant additional investment in 2006 and 2007, it is appropriate, in 2008, to pause and review the situation to ensure consolidation of the investment to date.
The Department of Health and Children has been advised by the HSE that the additional €51.2m development funding was not used as planned because of competing expenditure pressures and the overriding obligation on the HSE to live within its approved overall allocation. As a result, some of the planned developments in mental health services have been delayed. However, some of these developments will proceed in 2008 for example, the recruitment of 8 child and adolescent mental health teams and the provision of 18 beds for children and adolescents.
The Minister for Health and Children, Mary Harney has made it clear to the HSE in the context of their Service Plan for 2008 that there can be no question of diverting capital or development funds to meet expenditure pressures in relation to other services. The Minister also pointed out that she believed there is scope within the HSE's overall allocation to deliver further service enhancements in 2008 over and above those outlined in the Service Plan through improved performance / productivity and realignment of existing resources. I will be meeting with the HSE shortly to pursue these issues.
