Mental health campaigners set to march on the Dail later today in protest of the redistribution of much needed funding – TheLiberal.ie – Our News, Your Views

Mental health campaigners set to march on the Dail later today in protest of the redistribution of much needed funding




The Dail will come under siege from a large group of mental health campaigners later today as they are expected to hold a large protest against the scandalous redistribution of much needed funding from mental health services to other areas in the health service.

It is widely expected that the Union of Students in Ireland and Mental Health Reform, will march on the Dail in protest of the minister for health Leo Varadkar’s decision to cut €12 million away from the sector. The protest group claim the latest decision to cut funding from the mental health sector is unjustified and will cause “irreversible” damage.

The protest comes after the Government originally stated that the sum €35 million would be set aside to improve mental health sector by supporting new developments, however it was revealed just last week that €12 million will be trimmed from the budget and will be used in other areas of the health service.

The decision to cut the much needed funding has led to public outcry and major criticisms of the health sector by leading mental health reform activists Katherine Lynch and ‘Neil Bressie’ Bresslan. Although the Minister for Health Leo Varadkar claims that the cuts are necessary and the funding would better spent elsewhere. Mr Varadkar also told the Dáil this week tha mental health services had significantly benefited more from spending than other parts of the health service in recent years.

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