Peter Roche (Galway East, Fine Gael)

I thank the ministerial team and their officials for attending this meeting. It is most welcome that we are briefed on the Revised Estimate. My question relates to mental health. We have all heard about people presenting with emotional challenges, psychotic attacks or severe bouts of depression being referred by a GP to accident and emergency services. There are some difficult to listen to testimonials from people who presented and for one reason or another did not have the emotional ability or capacity to stay put and left. There are sad cases where a small number of them ended their life. I am a strong advocate of a system whereby if a GP makes a referral or somebody themselves presents at a hospital, he or she would not have to wait with people who are presenting with easier to manage ailments such as a broken arm or leg. Someone who presents with depression does not have the emotional well-being to withstand the torment in that crowded space. Are we any nearer to where that person will be signposted to psychiatric services or will have easier access to a counsellor rather than having to endure that wait? I hear lovely stories about specialist nurses in this area with whom people can make direct contact. There are two such nurses in County Mayo, for example. County Galway has a vastly higher population and a bigger geographic spread and we do not have any. When can we get to that space where rather than having to present to accident and emergency services, the specialist nurse would interact with that person following on his or her consultation with his or her GP? I ask this in the context of the enormous challenge for anyone who is emotionally challenged to have to go to his or her GP in the first instance. Sometimes it is much easier to have that cosy interaction with someone who understands. Those specialist nurses are fully equipped to deal with what is going to be presented to them because they are so familiar with that field. How close are we to having this service provided nationally? I am sure that any changes to the current system have a cost burden but it is a small price to pay to help people continue in life and become emotionally stronger.