Sinn Féin Mental Health spokesperson Pat Buckley has called for any future government to establish a permanent Oireachtas Committee on Mental Health.

He said this was a long standing position of Sinn Féin and was clearly needed to ensure the delivery of needed reform of mental health services and protection of existing services in the post-covid period.

 Deputy Buckley said;

“The Covid-19 crisis has placed great strain on our mental health services and further exposed the cracks in our system which have not been addressed despite many years of campaigning and advocacy by groups representing health care workers and those who use the services.

“We need to refresh the Vision for Change strategy and rededicate ourselves to the recovery focused community model it sought to bring about. We need to fund our services properly, end the recruitment crisis and ensure services are available to all people across the island that need them developing towards an all-island mental health system. 

“Recent concerns over the precarious nature of charity funded services need to be addressed also.

“Sinn Féin have been calling for a permanent Mental Health committee for the Oireachtas since the winding up of the Future of Mental Health Committee at the end of 2018. The coming months and years present many challenges, but it also presents the opportunity to build the world class mental health service that we deserve. Any future government must put this in place.”