Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chair and our guests for attending today.

It is estimated that mental health problems cost the Irish economy more than €8.2 billion a year. During the past four months face-to-face counselling has ceased for the thousands of adults and children who are supported by the mental health services in Ireland. Experts are warning that our social healthcare should be prepared for a tsunami of need which will emerge in the aftermath of this crisis. Along with the many thousands of people who are currently attending mental health services, we are being told that there is a new at-risk group emerging from this unprecedented crisis. These include children, young people, adults and old people whose lives have been disrupted by economic and social upheaval. The distress suffered by this group may already be evident while others will suffer from delayed trauma. Given that mental health services are already stretched to the limit and that extensive waiting lists exist due to a shortage of qualified clinicians, what do our witnesses know of any plans that are in place, if any, to deal with this emerging crisis in mental health services?