Govt prioritises mental health with €35 million investment – Neville

Fine Gael Party Chairperson, TD for Limerick and President of the Irish Association of Suicidology, Dan Neville has welcomed the allocation of €35 million for mental health services in 2015 announced by the Minister for Health, Leo Varadkar TD & Minister for Primary and Social Care, Kathleen Lynch TD as part of the HSE Service Plan.

“An investment of €35 million in mental health services in 2015 will bring to €125 million the amount of funding prioritised for mental health by this Government since 2012. This funding will provide vital services to people across the country and will make a big difference for those who will avail of mental health support.

“Hospitals and Community Schemes in all parts of the country will benefit from this investment in mental health services; the mental health acute inpatient unit at Limerick University Hospital will be refurbished, funding will be available for the day hospital in Crumlin, a new mental health unit will be completed in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Co. Louth, there will be a 50 bed acute hospital unit in Cork University Hospital and a 22 bed child and adolescent centre in Cherrywood, Dublin. These are just a few of the areas where this €35 million investment will go.

“One in four people will, at some time, be in need of mental health services and we are thankfully starting to see this area of the health service, which has been severely neglected over the years, receive some much needed attention. Mental health care is as important as physical health care and this Government recognises that.

“ After many years of significant reductions in our health budget, there is a modest increase in funding in 2015. Budget 2015 provides for the delivery of health and social care services within the funding allocation of over €12 billion, plus €35 million for mental health services. It will allow for Programme for Government commitments to be met including GP Care without fees for the oldest and youngest in society, the under 6s and over 70s, as well the extension of BreastCheck. €25 million has been allocated to address delayed discharges and €10 million has been ring-fenced for the Fair Deal Scheme.”