Mr. Ian Power:

A couple of Departments feel that is the nature of the proposal at this time. We hope that we can perhaps send some signals out from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform or elsewhere to the people who are expecting this proposal to happen in order to give them confidence that it will happen. That is what I would like from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

With regard to stigma, there are two issues. First, we have definitely seen an improvement in stigma reduction over the past five or six years thanks to all of the different campaigns that have happened. In regard to young people in particular, we see a kind of confusion in terms of mental health literacy, for example, the difference between being anxious and suffering from anxiety and the ease with which people use those different terms. Campaigns to improve mental health literacy would be hugely welcome to reduce stigma generally. There is also the question of listening. One of the other things many organisations have done to great effect is educate people on how to actually listen to others in an effective way. We are a great country for asking "How are you?" but not necessarily always wanting to hear the answer. Understanding how to listen effectively to friends and understanding that it is not necessary to fix a friend's problem if they open up with an issue is another aspect.

The first meeting took place last week of the group in the HSE to create a mental health promotion plan, which is a very welcome step. It is the first time the health and well-being division on that side of the house, as distinct from any of the mental health divisions, is taking the lead on a mental health promotion plan specifically for the area of mental health, which I hope will also work to reduce stigma.