Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to say a few words. I thank the witnesses for coming. It is always enlightening to meet and listen to them, and I again acknowledge the fantastic work they do. If I may refer a little to some of the issues I picked up yesterday, Senator Black, you spoke about the one which struck me most, the question of mental health. Mental health is a huge issue, far bigger than I had realised. We had some speakers yesterday at the conference in Belfast and I was extremely impressed by what they said.

With regard to the political agenda, I do not believe anybody on any side or those on no side would disagree on the need to address the generational mental health issues being passed on. The event impressed me. There were two speakers, one of whom was Ms Bethany Moore. I do not know who has heard her. She is really fantastic. She is a young person and is dynamic. She is not talking about orange or green but about young people. Hers is the generation that will have ownership of the Good Friday Agreement. She was setting out her stall from her perspective. She did not have an opportunity to speak to members but it is very important that we have her here at some stage. She represents the future of the island. People like her, in their communities, are taking over leadership now and telling us what they want and what they are going to get. They are going to insist that we change. The other person who spoke – I am not sure of her surname but she was connected to integrated education – was born in the unionist community.