I acknowledge Deputy Peter Roche and his lived experience. He spoke about the loss of his son. It was powerful advocacy. The more we talk about mental health, the more important it is. The Opposition has a job to do. I listen and take notes. I take on board what is said. I fervently believe that this is a good budget this year, but we have to deliver the budget. There are 300 new posts across mental health. That is significant. I was never able to stand in this House before and say I had 300 new posts. As soon as t…

I know that, but "Tullamore-Westmeath" is what the HSE identified. That is what it calls the midlands. A crisis resolution team is funded at €1 million a year, recurring, for a multidisciplinary team to work out of hours. There is also the crisis café. I have opened many cafés around the country. The crisis cafés have reduced the presentations to emergency departments by between 17% and 18%, and 20% in some areas. I recently opened one in Sligo. I want to speak in relation to where other parts of the funding are go…

I have passed on that issue.

This year, working with the Minister, I have secured funding that brings our annual investment in mental health services to almost €1.6 billion. This is my sixth budget in a row as Minister of State with responsibility for mental health. It is also the sixth year increased funding for mental health. In 2026, we will add 300 whole-time equivalent staff to our mental health services. That accounts for 9% of total health service staffing growth next year. This year, my focus is clear. It will be on crisis support and …

I move: It is proposed that the following arrangements shall apply on the motions for the Financial Resolutions by the Minister for Finance: - Resolution Nos. 1 and 2 shall be grouped together for the purposes of debate, and shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 30 minutes; - Resolution Nos. 3 and 4 shall be grouped together for the purposes of debate, and shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 45 minutes; and - each motion for a Financial Resolution shal…

I propose: Notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders or in Tuesday’s Order of Business, the following is proposed in relation to today’s business: - on Leaders’ Questions, two members of each party or technical group in Opposition may use their time for Q&A, and the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows:- - Tánaiste - 10 minutes; - Sinn Féin - 15 minutes; and - Social Democrats, Independent and Parties Technical Group, Independent Technical Group and the Labour Party – 12 minutes per party …

I move: Tuesday's business shall be: - Motion re Ministerial Rota for Parliamentary Questions (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately) - Motion re Sittings and Business of the Dáil (without debate) - Joint Motion re the Global Sumud Flotilla (to conclude within 60 mins) - Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025 (Second Stage) (if not previously concluded, to adjourn after 3 hours and 24 minutes) Tuesday's private members' business shall be Motion re Insurance Costs, selected by Sin…

I thank all of the Whips for their co-operation last Thursday evening and yesterday on the joint motion regarding the global flotilla, which will be taken at 3.50 p.m., with the Tánaiste leading out on it. I also want to let the House know, for anyone who has not seen it, that at 2.15 p.m. tomorrow there will be statements on the situation in Gaza, with 202 minutes, so three and a half hours, which will also be led by the Tánaiste. There will be lots of time to debate it. The other issues that have been raised are …

Agreed.

I move: That, notwithstanding anything in the Order of the Dáil of 5th February, 2025, setting out the rota in which Questions to members of the Government are to be asked, Questions for oral answer beginning 27th November, 2025, shall be taken in the following temporary sequence: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht Minister for J…

I move: That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, or in the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders, and unless the Dáil shall otherwise order, the following arrangements shall apply in relation to the sittings of the Dáil on 7th, 8th and 9th October, 2025: (1) ( a ) in relation to the times of sittings, the suspension of the sitting and the adjournment of the House— (i) the Dáil shall meet at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, and at 10.23 a.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, (ii) subject to…

I thank the Deputy for his question. He has raised a really important issue with what he calls the radiotherapy bus. He is right; local charities and local people who volunteer do phenomenal work. I am taking this on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. As the Deputy said, the bus was originally procured using one-off funding from the HSE in 2011, following on from the essential relocation of breast cancer services from Sligo to Galway. These services were relocated as part of a wider centralisation pro…

I do not disagree with a word Deputy Feighan has said in relation to this. The fact is that we are almost there, but that is not good enough for anybody who is travelling today with regard to wheelchair accessibility and having a toilet on board for those travelling from Sligo to Galway. It is a long enough spin as it is, especially when they are going for a specific treatment to support their cancer journey. I will give the Deputy a commitment here on the floor that I will go back to the Department this morning an…

I thank the Cathaoirleach for listing this business this afternoon. I am pleased to be here as Minister of State for mental health to present the Mental Health Bill to Seanad Éireann following its passage through the Dáil during the summer legislative session. As Senators will be aware, the Bill has been developed over the past number of years. A commitment to review the Mental Health Act 2001, informed by human rights standards and in consultation with service users, carers and other stakeholders, was committed to…

Two children.

At its request.

I thank Senators for coming here today and speaking on the Second Stage of this really important Bill. From the outset, I offer my sincere and genuine condolences to the mammy in the Chamber who is bereaved by suicide and thank her for sharing her lived exeprience. I stand here today as a person with lived experience as well and everything I do in relation to any Bill or the work I do every day, previously as Minister of State with responsibility for mental health and older people and now as Minister of State with …

I thank the Deputy very much for his question on the long-term illness scheme, where many illnesses are listed. The Department of Health, in conjunction with the HSE, keeps this under review at all times. I will bring the Deputy's concerns back to the Department.

No.

I move: Tuesday's business shall be: - Motion re Presentation and Circulation of Further Revised Estimates 2025 [Votes 29, 33 and 34] and Third Further Revised Estimate 2025 [Vote 24] (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately) - Motion re Approval of Appointment of Members of the Legal Services Regulatory Authority (without debate) - Statements on School Transport (not to exceed 3 hours and 32 minutes) Tuesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Energy Costs, selected by Sinn F…