Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Cork South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses. It is great to see, yet again, a full panel of female witnesses, which is extra welcome.

The Darkness Into Light walk, which was held recently, brought the issue of mental health to the fore. As a result of that walk, people were sharing their stories more frequently than they normally would have. I acknowledge everybody who took part in the walk and those who organised it. What do the witnesses think can be done to decrease the stigma of mental health issues? Have they any ideas on how something could be included in the education system, particularly in national school, whereby a child growing up to become an adult realises it is okay not to be okay and would never think otherwise? Obviously, the wheel turns and those young children will become adults, so it is a win-win situation in that people will feel better and it is cost effective because it will not cost the health system as much for treatment and so forth. That is my first question.

There were many questions in both submissions. Do the witnesses often meet the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly? What are his answers to those questions?