Dr. Fiona Keogh:

Mental Health Ireland carries out activities with regard to individuals, households, communities and workplaces. With regard to communities and workplaces, a small country farm can be a very isolated place. In the past, Mental Health Ireland has partnered with the IFA. We also partner with Coillte and Get Ireland Walking. This highlights the importance of having flexible agile players in the community and voluntary sector that can respond to specific needs by partnering with other organisations with a remit in the area. The need for supports for people in very isolated settings points to the need to build up a real community of support. This is not really about specialist mental health services. This is about having a rich enough diversity of organisations that are attuned to mental health needs and mental health supports and well-being without having to provide a formal mental health service. It really is crucial. The loneliness forum has done much work in this area and has made some very concrete suggestions. It points to the need for a much more joined-up approach across Departments and agencies to address this issue.