We must keep mental health on agenda until promises are turned into progress

I refer to your editorial of the 26th March, in relation to the events surrounding the 1916 Rising and subsequent progress of the Irish State. 

Sadly, mental health services is one area we as a people can take no pride in. Since the foundation of the State in 1922 mental health services have been plagued with neglect, underfunding, with a continuing “out of sight, out of mind” attitude, reminiscent of the Victorian era, and where and if any progress is achieved, it is only through public embarrassment of government/HSE into action through the exposure of that continuing neglect.

In 2016 the Republic will commit around 6% of its health budget to mental health services while the British taxpayer will commit around 12% of the Northern Ireland NHS budget to mental health services north of the border. As former minister Kathleen Lynch recently revealed, the €35m committed to the rollout and enhanced community mental health services in 2016 in line with AVRC ( A Vision for Change) was to be withdrawn by the current Government until she threatened to resign in protest.