MacManus claims government are failing to grasp mental health emergency after Mayo Mental Health Association visit

Sinn Féin MEP Chris MacManus has said that the Government is failing to grasp the mental health emergency. The Midlands Northwest representative was speaking after visiting the Mayo Mental Health Association at their offices in Ballina alongside his Sinn Féin colleague and local election candidate Úna Morris.

MEP MacManus said:
“I was pleased to meet Niall Dunne and his team recently in the Mayo Mental Health Association office in Ballina with Úna Morris.”

“They are involved in extremely valuable work, promoting mental health awareness and well-being across the County. I was particularly impressed with their work in mental health promotion in schools and the provision of housing for local people who are experiencing mental health difficulties.”

“This work is vital for helping to deliver better mental health outcomes for people across the county. However these efforts are being undermined by Government failure to prioritise mental health.”

“The overall percentage of spending for mental health in the health budget remained at 5.8% for 2024. We have seen a steady decrease in this figure, with 6.3% in 2019 of the overall health budgets spent on mental health to 5.8% this year.”

“We are heading in the wrong direction as international recommendations, and those set out in Sláintecare, for mental health spending are 16% and 10%, respectively, of the overall health budget.”

“Current and past governments are failing to grasp the mental health emergency that we are facing, and this lack of true increased spending will have knock-on consequences for the service provision, waiting times and the treatment of service users.”

“Sinn Féin proposed a new spend of €75 million in our alternative budget. In government we would raise the spending to meet the required recommended percentage.”

“People and their families deserve a mental health service that works for them and Sinn Féin is committed to delivering this as a priority.” ENDS

Pictured are (L-R): Lauren Waters, Pádraig O’Hora, Jenna Walsh, Chris MacManus MEP, Úna Morris, Niall Dunne