Mr. Ryan Sharpe:

I would agree with everything Ms Sheridan O'Callaghan said. I want to touch on the difference between career guidance counsellors and counsellors. Counsellors are not really looked at as a necessary part of the education system. They are looked at as a side aspect that can help students in their personal lives. Mental health affects every single student in the leaving certificate and junior certificate system in one way or another. Students should be taught in schools how to preserve their mental health. Counselling should be more important in schools and it should be provided. The HSE does not touch on it much and counsellors are not provided. There needs to be a huge reformation of the counselling in the leaving certificate system.