Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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138. To ask the Minister for Health the rationale for restricting the funding of mental health to below 6% of the health budget when the ask of mental health campaigners is to increase it up to 12% of the total health budget in line with the average across the OECD; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50799/21]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The development of all aspects of mental health services remains a priority for Government. This is reflected in the current Programme for Government, Sharing the Vision - A Mental Health Policy for Everyone, and the HSE National Service Plans.

2022 will see another record spend of €1.149 billion for mental health services. This includes an additional €47 million on 2021, comprising €24 million for new developments, €10 million for mental health initiatives in response to Covid and €13 million for existing level of service.

Separately, another €10 million is being made available in 2021, aimed at supporting the community and voluntary pillar in the mental health sector.

In 2022 this represents 5.4% of the overall provision of €21.337 billion for the HSE.

However, this figure does not include funding for other parts of the health service that provide mental health services and supports, such as psychotropic medicines funded by the Primary Care Reimbursement Service, liaison mental health services in acute hospitals, some dual diagnosis (addiction and mental health) services and mental health and well-being promotion. It does not include the cost of the Mental Health Commission. 

Nor does it include spending by other departments on services that incorporate psychological or mental health supports, such as the Prison and Probation Services, Social Protection, Defence Forces, Department of Foreign Affairs supporting the Irish diaspora or the Department of Education.