Sinn Féin spokesperson on Mental Health, Mark Ward TD, has called on all TDs to support his party’s call to overturn the government’s scandalous decision to waste €9m on mobile phone pouches.
Deputy Ward was speaking ahead of Sinn Féin’s Dáil motion this evening, which calls on the government to reverse the decision to waste public money on mobile phone pouches and instead invest this badly needed funding in mental health services and schools.
Teachta Ward said:
“The government wants the public to believe that the €9m allocated in Budget 2025 for mobile phone pouches is a good way to spend taxpayers’ money. They also want you to believe that this is the best intervention they can offer for our young people’s mental health.
“This is at a time of vastly increased Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) waiting lists, up 74% in just under five years for first-time appointments. Those waiting for over a year have increased by 126% in the same time period.
“This is also at a time when child psychology appointments in primary care have increased by 90%.
“Mental Health only received an increase of €16 million in this year’s budget, of which less than €3 million was for CAMHS. What planet do they think they are on?
“I have been contacted by so many people who are really struggling to get mental health care for their children. The announcement of the phone pouches has added to their upset.
“Sinn Féin president, Mary Lou McDonald TD, wrote to the Taoiseach last week calling on him to reverse this indefensible spend. Instead, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have doubled down on this decision.
“This latest splurge comes on the back of the most expensive hospital in the world costing upwards of an eye-watering €2.2bn, the €336,000 bike shed, the €1.4m security hut, and forking out €442,000 on modular homes that were supposed to cost €200,000.
“But the government has an opportunity here to hold its hands up and admit it got this wrong.
“That is why Sinn Féin has brought this motion, to put a stop to this recklessness in time.
“TDs will have the opportunity to reject this ludicrous allocation of funds and instead endorse Sinn Féin’s call to invest this badly needed funding in mental health services and schools.”
Motion can be read here.
