Ms Patricia O'Sullivan:

Per se, that reflects society generally even outside the education part. Tertiary and higher education is stressful. There are two key points, namely, the first year when a student starts and the final semester. Students struggle. There is a lot of research showing the levels of cortisol at that time and how students' circadian rhythms are imbalanced. All of these things make people more vulnerable to mental health issues and if someone already has that vulnerability and feels he or she does not connect, that adds to it.

On the point about inductions, the challenge of the late leaving certificate has been horrendous, coming on the back of two years of Covid-19. It is a very challenging time for kids these days.