Psychiatric Nurses Association

Lobbying Organisation Psychiatric Nurses Association

Date published 25 Nov, 2024

Relevant Matter Matters involving public funds

Public Policy Area Health

Period 1 Sep, 2024 to 31 Dec, 2024

Specific Details concerns for the future of mental health services in Ireland and the issues that will require the urgent and committed attention for any incoming government.

Intended results due to the scale of the psychiatric nursing staffing crisis, mental health services must be exempt from the Pay and Numbers Strategy. We believe that mental health services have been largely abandoned and excluded from staffing increases over the last five years. This view is supported by the fact that of the additional 23,000 staff employed in the HSE between 2019-2024, psychiatric nurses equated to less than 1% of these

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Peter Hughes

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Email (11-20)

Instead of impeding the recruitment and retention of nurses in mental health services, the HSE need to put measures in place to maximise the recruitment and retention of these dedicated professionals to maintain and develop services. This must be a health priority for the next government I am seeking your support in this matter and would appreciate meeting with you to expand on our concerns for mental health services.

Email (11-20)

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Annie Hoey Senator (Seanad)

Aisling Dolan Senator (Seanad)

Martin Conway Senator (Seanad)

Frances Black Senator (Seanad)

Mark Ward TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

John Lahart TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Gino Kenny TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Neasa Hourigan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Colm Burke Minister of State (Department of Health)

Duncan Smith TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Bríd Smith TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

David Cullinane TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Róisín Shorthall TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Stephen Donnelly Minister (Department of Health)

Peadar Tóibín TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Richard Boyd Barrett TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Holly Cairns TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Ivana Bacik TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Mary Lou McDonald TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Roderic O'Gorman TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Micheál Martin Taoiseach (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)