Ms Brigid O'Sullivan:

I also wish to speak about mental health supports because it is something that is raised a lot in my own school and comhairle and with people of my own age. People are talking about it, especially if they go to the guidance counsellor in their own school. As well as that, awareness of what is out there is important. In the case of people who are not satisfied with the support services in their own school, some of that is attributable to simple things. A student may not get along with his or her guidance counsellor, for example, as their personalities just do not match. However, there are lots of support services outside school and schools should be making more of an effort to make people aware of those mental health supports and how to go about getting them.

From talking to people and on the basis of the guidance counselling provided in my school, I am aware that it is sometimes about the quality of support people receive or the days on which guidance counsellors might be in school. As Niamh mentioned, some counsellors might only be in schools for half the week. Some of it is just about simple personality clashes because it is being dealt with on a one-to-one basis and it is really important that people know about all the support services.