Statement by Minister Butler at the Department of Health Budget 2023 Press Briefing

Check against delivery

The total allocation for mental health services in 2023 is over €1.2 billion. This is another record budget for mental health services, which will underpin implementation of Sharing the Vision and Connecting for Life.

It delivers an almost €72.8 million in additional funding for next year, which comprises €14 million for new developments and €43.8 million for existing levels of service, along with a further €10 million in once off funding for minor capital works as well.

This Budget will support my continued focus on youth Mental Health. Following discussions with the HSE and with Mr Paul Reid to progress Mental Health priorities in the HSE – and in line with a Programme for Government commitment - I am pleased to say that we have agreed a new post: Youth Mental Health Lead (at Assistant National Director level) within the HSE. Funding for this post is included in this year’s Budget and recruitment will commence immediately. We will also continue to progress the fuller implementation of the Maskey Report on CAMHS, in conjunction with the current review which the Mental Health Commission is undertaking and the HSE audits of CAMHS. Taken together, these will provide vital additional information and data not previously available to make further improvement to this vital service. A continued focus will also be on reducing waiting lists for CAMHS and Primary Care Psychology.

€750,000 to commence a new initiative by funding Counselling Psychology Training places in 2023.

Funding for the new Community Access Support Team, which is a partnership approach between HSE Mid-West Mental Health Services and An Garda Síochána.

Additional funding for the Traveller Health Plan, and implementation of the mental health actions of the Plan.

€4 million will be provided for improving regulatory compliance in mental health in-patient services in alignment with Mental Health Commission regulations.

€2 million will be provided for new accommodation for mental health teams. €5 million will be provided for emergency placements over 2023 by the HSE and €3 million will be separately provided for emergency placement additional capacity.

Out-of-hours supports and Crisis Resolution Team pilot site expansion, with six new cafés planned.

Funding of €300,000 made available towards opening of the new Central Mental Hospital at Portrane.

Additional Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurses in the HSE, to improve early intervention and crisis support in primary care settings, to ease pressure on emergency departments and wait lists. My priority now will be to undertake detailed discussions with the HSE to progress these budgetary measures in the context of agreeing the new HSE Service Plan for next year.

I am pleased to announce that I have secured an additional €180 million of funding for services for older people for winter 2022 and into 2023, building on unprecedented increases of recent years.

This will bring our investment in these services to over €2.4 billion in 2023, including nearly €12 million of new developments.

Long-term residential care will be supported through €47 million of additional funding for the Nursing Homes Support Scheme, to maintain services and manage inflationary increases.

Today I am delighted to announce that the Temporary Assistance Payment Scheme for nursing homes (TAPS) will be extended to the end of the year, refocused on addressing this year's inflationary pressures related to energy and heating. Details are being finalised and these will be communicated in the coming days.

We will allocate €5.2 million to roll out the Healthy Age Friendly Homes initiative nationally. This will enable older people to avoid early admission to residential care, remaining in their own homes or right-sizing.

We will also continue to invest in home care provision under new tender arrangements, so that we can deliver on our target of 24 million home care hours.

Dementia continues to be a priority for me, and we will increase the share of home care hours being ring-fenced for people with dementia, from 11% in 2022 to 15% in 2023. We will continue to deliver on commitments under the National Dementia Strategy.

€2.1 million will be provided for the restoration of dementia-specific community day care services.

In recognition of the important role of our community services, we are also investing a further €2 million in day care services that are not only for those with dementia. Many of these services also provide Meals on Wheels and we are allocating €1.8 million of additional funding to maintain and expand this across the country.

2023 will see the roll out of a new safeguarding policy for the health and social care sector. We will invest €4 million in delivering this policy and expanding national HSE operational safeguarding capacity in line with Sláintecare, including through education, training and research.