Mental Health Reform is happy to share this petition which was posted by Aisling Riordan.
Mental Health Reform believes that it is unacceptable that funding for mental health continues to prop up other areas of the health service.
According to media reports €12 million of the €35 million ring-fenced for development of mental health care in budget 2016 is being diverted to other areas of the health service.
This is the second time already this year that mental health funding has been unfairly targeted. While other areas of the health service received additional funds to deal with pressures, mental health did not.
Commenting on the news the Director of Mental Health Reform Dr Shari McDaid said the diversion of any mental health funding was unacceptable and should not be tolerated.
“Ring-fenced funding for mental health should not be viewed as a pot of money to prop up other areas of the health service. It doesn’t show parity of esteem between mental and physical health and proves that we still have a struggle on our hands to ensure mental health is taken seriously and given the priority it deserves,” said Dr McDaid.
Please read our full statement on the need to protect mental health funding here :
