Category: Government Policy
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Budget shows lack of commitment, vision and real concern for the mental health of the nation
Goverment accused of ‘misleading public’ on mental health budget. €20m of the €35m announced in Budget 2018 was ‘already promised’ in 2017 This article was written by Sarah Burns and published in the Irish Times on October 11th, 2017 An umbrella group for mental health agencies says the Government has “failed to deliver promised funding for…
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College of Psychiatrists extremely concerned for those requiring access to mental health support and services now and in the future following Budget 2018
Following yesterday’s announcement and confirmation of detail today the College believes the Budget shows lack of commitment, vision and real concern for the mental health of the nation and for those vulnerable in society due to mental distress and chronic enduring mental illness. The 2018 budget announcement and further detail today indicate that the total…
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Direct provision: A broken system that must be fixed
The direct provision system worsens and adds to asylum seekers distress and must be replaced. An article published in the Irish Times recently highlighted the need to ameliorate the direct provision system calling it broken and dangerous to those in a uniquely vulnerable position. “Asylum seekers by definition live in limbo. In a new, unfamiliar…
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2018 Pre-budget submission: Priorities for Mental Health Services that must be addressed in Budget 2018
The External Affairs and Policy department of the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland submitted the following to the Department of Finance in advance of the 2018 Budget. The mission of the College is to promote excellence in the practice of Psychiatry. The College, formed in 2009, is the professional and training body for psychiatrists in…
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Debate: Are proposed restrictions on alcohol advertising going too far?
The Public Health (Alcohol) Bill aims to reduce the damage that alcohol causes. The Bill restricts advertisements so they can only give specific information about the product. This will mean that advertisements will be less likely to glamorise alcohol. These measures will also be subject to prosecutions under the criminal justice system for the first time. The…
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Another ‘Leaving Cert’ celebration begins without adequate legislation in place to protect young people.
As another season of post Leaving Certificate results parties begins, Alcohol Action has called on government and the Oireachtas to finally act and pass the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill before next year’s celebrations comes around. Commenting on this year’s activity, Eunan McKinney, Head of Communications and Advocacy at Alcohol Action Ireland, said: “Priced based promotions…
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Poll shows overwhelming support for government action to curb alcohol marketing that appeals to young people
82% of people who support this action are Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil supporters The poll, conducted by Ireland Thinks, between 12 and 16th June among a sample of 1,300 adults across the country, found that the public would support stronger regulation of alcohol marketing than is proposed in the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill. Notably,…
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Can AA truly cure addiction? – Dr William Flannery in the Sunday Business Post
Some addiction experts are now coming to the conclusion that Alcoholics Anonymous is a flawed enterprise. Are they right, asks Alex Meehan in the Sunday Business Post. When a New York stock- broker named Bill Wilson met a surgeon named Dr Bob Smith in 1935, they were both hopeless alcoholics and desperate to find a…
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A strong case for the need for the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill
Alcohol Health Alliance Ireland says Special Rapporteur on Child Protection, Prof. Geoffrey Shannon’s comments to an Oireachtas Committee makes a strong case for the need for the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill Prof Shannon appeared yesterday, Wednesday, 28th June, before the Joint Committee on Children and Youth Affairs to discuss issues arising from the Audit of…
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Letter to the Editor: Mental Health services for children in Ireland
This letter was published in the Irish Times on Thursday, Jun 29, 2017 Sir, – As the parent of a child with complex developmental needs, I was moved by “Laura’s story”, a mother who tries to convince her 10-year-old son every day that life is worth living (“‘My 10-year-old son wants to be dead. Nobody will help…