The mental health organisation Grow has called on the HSE to reconsider its decision to postpone the appointment of vital mental health staff.

Grow CEO Michele Kerrigan said an additional 250-280 staff have been promised for community mental health teams in 2014, but the suggestion that these appointments can be delayed for at least six months shows a complete lack of understanding of the current demands on services.

The HSE National Service Plan 2014 stated that certain initiatives, including the recruitment of additional staff for community mental health teams, will be delayed until the end of 2014 in order to facilitate budgetary savings.

"Mental health services are already stretched to breaking point. People who are in real emotional distress are being forced to wait months to see a mental healthcare professional. The situation is indefensible," Ms Kerrigan said.

She said the suggestion that these appointments can be delayed for at least six months shows a complete lack of understanding of the current demands on services.

"All our efforts to encourage people to seek support for mental health difficulties are redundant if we cannot deliver that support in a timely fashion. The promised new staff are critical to delivery of that support. There is simply no justification for delaying the appointments," she added.

Further information is available at www.grow.ie.