Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Ms Smith for her reply. Is it not necessary on an ongoing basis to keep in touch with the standards and the quality of services available elsewhere in order that we do not slip too far one way or the other, but more particularly, in order to be able to address the areas of particular deficiency and thereby provide a better quality of service? How often would such references be made by the Mental Health Commission and would such interaction happen to enable such an exchange of views with those in other jurisdictions? I believe the figures on the levels of suicide are available right across the European Union. Can the commission give the committee any indication on the extent to which it can focus on that issue, with a view to identifying the worst case scenario, improving it insofar as we are concerned here, and providing an improved quality of service?