Second reading of the draft law amending the Social Welfare Act and the Value Added Tax Act (mental health service) (500 SE)
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 4th session, plenary session.
Date: 2024-11-14 03:43
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 20
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 12m
AI Summaries: 20/20 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The agenda included the second reading of the draft law amending the Social Welfare Act and the Value Added Tax Act (mental health services), initiated by the Republic of Estonia’s Government. The presenter was Irja Lutsar, a member of the Social Affairs Committee. The draft law’s purpose is to increase the capacity of local governments (municipalities) to provide mental health services; current project-based funding will be replaced with a population-based fund, which distributes money according to the number of residents. Funding limits are both a floor and a ceiling, meaning smaller municipalities will receive more local resources than previously. Linguistic editing and text harmonization were also highlighted. The committee unanimously approved the procedural documents for the second reading of the draft law and authorized the chairperson to sign the procedural documents for the third reading.
In addition, concerns regarding labor shortages were addressed and options were discussed regarding how funding and the availability of specialists can help ensure service accessibility, including the balance between larger cities and smaller municipalities, and future funding opportunities.
Decisions Made 1
The procedural documents for the second reading of Bill 500 were approved, and the chairperson was authorized to sign the procedural documents for the third reading.
Most Active Speaker
The most active representative at the session was Irja Lutsar (pid 1GC04Un_TZ8), a member of the social committee, whose leading role could be described as presentations and responses, and whose led discussion significantly influenced the direction of many questions. In terms of political alignment, her role is positioned as another political position, rather than as separate party representation.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chair Arvo Aller announced that under item 11 the government-initiated bill to amend the Social Welfare Act and the Value-Added Tax Act (mental health service) will be considered in the second reading of Bill No. 500, and the rapporteur is Irja Lutsar, a member of the Social Committee.
Irja Lutsar
Profiling Eesti 200 fraktsioonAI Summary
Irja Lutsar said that in the second reading the aim of Bill 500 is to create a fund from which local governments can obtain funding for the provision of mental health services according to the population, which also strengthens smaller municipalities, and the Social Committee reviewed the linguistic editing and, by consensus, approved the documents for the second reading and authorized the chair to sign the documents for the third reading.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller announced that there were questions, and asked Lauri Laats to present his question.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats asks how the psychosocial and psychological assistance service is currently provided, on what basis, and whether it is at the national or local government level.
Irja Lutsar
Profiling Eesti 200 fraktsioonAI Summary
Now the money is distributed to all 79 municipalities based on a population-based formula, where large municipalities such as Tallinn and Tartu receive relatively less, but the total amount is still large, and smaller ones, especially island municipalities, receive relatively more, so that everyone gets something.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice Chairman Arvo Aller invites Lauri Laatsi to speak.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats asked the committee whether the real financial need of this service had been discussed, what to do if there are not enough service providers, and how large a burden this could place on local governments.
Irja Lutsar
Profiling Eesti 200 fraktsioonAI Summary
The speech highlighted that in smaller municipalities there is often a lack of a full-time mental health psychologist, and the shortage of counselors is a concern, and although the representative of the Union of Towns and Municipalities left the meeting optimistic, more specialists are needed and probably also more funding in the coming years.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-chairman Arvo Aller invites Andrei Korobeiniku onto the stage.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Andrei Korobeinik said that in addition to specialists it would be nice, but according to the Union of Towns and Municipalities' representation, their optimism was limited to the committee session and was not very supportive, and he asked whether the availability of aid would improve or worsen.
Irja Lutsar
Profiling Eesti 200 fraktsioonAI Summary
Irja Lutsar noted that in small municipalities there wasn't initially the capacity or the money to write project proposals, but now funding has shifted and more specialists and plenty of materials are coming, so that people can help themselves online or in written form.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller asks Vadim Belobrovtsev to take the floor.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The central topic of the speech is how the system is changing for the largest municipalities, especially Tallinn and Tartu, and whether they will get more, less, or the same amount as they have received so far.
Irja Lutsar
Profiling Eesti 200 fraktsioonAI Summary
The funding was arranged so that smaller municipalities receive relatively more, and the distribution is based on the number of inhabitants, where a floor and a ceiling were set; in the initial discussion it seemed that the combined total for Tartu and Tallinn was about 80,000 euros, and the smaller municipalities received about 6,000 euros; larger municipalities have more resources and staff, and although the Ministry of Social Affairs considered area-based distribution, in the end it was decided that the distribution based on population would be the most appropriate.
Andrei Korobeinik
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Andrei Korobeinik emphasizes support for a self-help mindset, but notes that next year mental health spending will be reduced, and asks how the specialist planned for Vormsi Island will come about — will he be on the payroll, come once a week, or be offered consultations in a remote-work format, and what is the plan more precisely?
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller asks Andrei Korobeinik to speak.
Irja Lutsar
Profiling Eesti 200 fraktsioonAI Summary
According to the speech, there are several options for providing mental health services; in the Riigikogu it is not possible to discuss how to provide a specific service to each person; in a small town there are people who need it, but probably few; a specialist goes there on site or provides online consultations; and each municipality probably has its own plan for how to implement this.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman, Arvo Aller, thanks everyone, announces that there are no more questions, opens the negotiations, and asks Lauri Laats to continue.
Lauri Laats
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Lauri Laats said that the need for advisory services is increasing due to people’s growing awareness and concerns, and the workload of local governments and the shortage of resources are making the situation difficult, and although the solution is partial, the Centre Party faction cannot vote for the draft.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
There are no further requests to speak; I will close the negotiations, and the Social Committee's Amendment No. 1 will be fully taken into account, as a result of which the second reading of Bill 500 will be terminated.