Sinn Féin spokesperson on Mental Health, Mark Ward TD, has said that Sinn Féin’s Mental Health Action Plan would transform the delivery of mental health services across the state.
Deputy Ward was speaking as he launched Sinn Féin’s Mental Health Action plan in Dublin today alongside party spokesperson on Finance Pearse Doherty TD, spokesperson on Health David Cullinane TD and spokesperson on Education Sorca Clarke TD.
He added that the plan sets out Sinn Féin’s absolute commitment to delivering widespread and significant change, prioritising mental health care rooted in local communities, ensuring access to the right care, in the right place and at the right time.
Teachta Ward said:
“Sinn Féin’s Mental Health Action Plan would transform how we deliver mental health services right across the state.
“It sets out our absolute commitment to delivering widespread and significant change and a fresh start in mental health care.
“I have engaged in comprehensive engagements with mental health stakeholders from right across the HSE, community and voluntary sector, international experts and with people with lived experience to produce this policy, which would deliver:
- Local services as the first port of call for people with mental health difficulties, with universal counselling, statewide access to Jigsaw, and strong links with GPs.
- A new Child and Youth Mental Health Service to replace CAMHS and increase the upper age limit from 18 to 25 for access to these services.
- Twenty additional eating disorder inpatient beds and community-based services.
- Joint care plans between addiction and mental health services to support people who have a dual diagnosis and re-open Keltoi, the residential dual diagnosis facility closed since 2020.
- Fully staffed emergency mental health services and regional crisis response teams
“Having spent years working in frontline addiction and mental health services, I know the importance of people getting the right mental health care, in the right place and at the right time. Where you live and ability to pay should not be a barrier to accessing mental health services.
“Sinn Féin’s plan is based on fairness, access to high quality local services, early intervention, prevention, and suicide reduction. We would ensure that mental health is seen as an all-of-government priority.
“We want to develop universal access to community-based therapy, counselling, and support, alongside addressing the crisis in emergency, urgent, and acute services.
“We also want to see better care and outcomes for children and young people up to the age of 25, ending the cliff-edge faced by many young adults when they reach the age of 18.
“The big difference between Sinn Féin’s plan and the approach of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael is that we will move away from decades of crisis management and underinvestment to community-based, proactive care.
“This would be backed up by multi-annual funding, long-term planning, and workforce planning.
“Investment in mental health and wellbeing is a no-brainer. The social and economic benefits of a healthy and happy society are numerous. The impact on young people’s development, and our own growth as we age, cannot be overstated. It is crucial that we get this right.”
Sinn Féin’s Mental Health Action Plan can be read here.
