There is widespread outrage this evening as it has been revealed that the Government will not be allocating as much funds to mental health services as previously thought.

According to senior sources in the Dáil the Minister for Health Simon Harris will only all allocate €15m in funding instead of the original €35m allocated for 2017 in the Budget.

The u-turn has left the Irish taxpayer angry given the fact politicians are set to receive a €5,000 pay increase whilst the country’s most vulnerable people are being stripped of much needed funding.

Meanwhile the Director of advocacy group Mental Health Reform (MHR), Shari McDaid, spoke of her shock at the news, saying: “I am shocked to hear that there is scope for just €15 million of additional spending for improvements in mental health care for 2017, given the overstretched and under-resourced state of our mental health system.”

“Mental health has not been shown parity of esteem, much less the priority it needs by this Government.” “We are seeking an urgent review of this Government decision to allow just 1.8% in additional spending in 2017 for mental health care improvements.”

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