“54 days since the election, probably 80 lives have been lost”.
The Minister for Health has said that some funding for mental health services will be taken out of the 2016 budget, but will be transferred back in next year. Leo Varadkar has stated that money was set aside to provide 1,550 new staff for mental health services but that target was no longer realistic.
As many of you know, Ireland has one of the highest rates of suicide in the world and this decision by the government has provoked an angry outcry from concerned citizens.
https://twitter.com/paraicgallagher/status/722707151941201924
Ireland suffers from record levels of suicide @FineGael cut funding for mental health. That's what they think of you https://t.co/YmfrSj96wS
— Catherine Kelly (@sanepolitico) April 20, 2016
https://twitter.com/ronronzo/status/722761781433778176
https://twitter.com/daithigorman/status/722707417511903232
As a service user I would love to speak to Leo and tell him how important it is to have a properly resourced mental health service.
— Marie Duffy mastodon.ie/@Donegalabu (@Donegalabu) April 20, 2016
Minister for health just announced that money to be spent creating 1500 mental health Jobs in Ireland,will now go to other areas.Gowl acting
— The Blindboy Podcast (@bbboatclub) April 20, 2016
People will die if mental health spending here is cut. Ditto if we don't introduce medically supervised injecting rooms ASAP
— Stuart Clark (@stuartclark66) April 20, 2016
https://twitter.com/glennthefitz/status/722778547517915136
Plenty of JOE readers were incense at the news and they were happy to express their disgust on our Facebook page.
A petition has been set-up to prevent the reduction of the budget and you can sign it here.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
