Here's what we did with your signature...


Welcome to our round up of news this December. A big thank you to everyone who supported our pre-budget campaign and signed the Don't Drop the Ball on Mental Health petition. We gathered a total of 10,000 signatures in October and November, and Mental Health Reform's Director Orla Barry presented them to Minister for Mental Health Kathleen Lynch ahead of Budget Day on 5th December. The petition called for continued investment in community mental health services, including the ring-fencing of €35 million for community mental health in 2013. This was a Programme for Government commitment, and 10,000 people joined us to remind the Government of their promise.

We are happy to report that the pressure paid off and that the commitment to €35 million in 2013 was restated on Budget Day, with Minister Lynch confirming that this was an additional €35 million for mental health. However, MHR has asked the Government for an assurance that the existing mental health budget is protected and that this additional €35 million will result in a net increase in mental health staffing and services in 2013. We are still concerned about the moratorium on staff recruitment and the impact of retirements, which disproportionately impacted on mental health in 2012. You can read our press statement on the Budget here. You can also read our snapshot analysis of Budget 2013, specifically on mental health and related services.