John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)

I might be bad for the Tánaiste's health if I do, but I will try not to cause her so much stress.

I will give a few statistics. A survey of 1,000 people carried out in 2001 on behalf of the Mental Health Association of Ireland found that 73% reported finding life more stressful than five years previously, 19% of the respondents said they were smoking more and 17% said they were drinking more in order to cope with stress. The national health and lifestyle survey of 6,539 people in 1999 to ascertain what people believe would best improve their health found that the majority reported that less stress would improve their health regardless of their age, sex and social background. A follow-up report in 2001 also reported that stress was the most common answer from males and females in reply to that question. These are the facts.

In an on-line survey in 2001 a sample of 2,000 students were asked if they thought that the level of stress experienced by the general Irish population had increased, in response to which more than two thirds said that it had increased a great deal, 30% said it had increased a little and only 3% said it had not increased at all. All the indications show that stress is increasing.

One of the surveys I find fascinating was one on depressive disorders. In 2003, research involving a representative sample of 12,702 women in four European countries found that women in Dublin were more susceptible to depressive disorders than in similar cities in other countries. It was found that one in three suffered from depression. One of the authors, Professor Patricia Casey, commented that this study was conducted at a time of economic boom when one would expect depressive disorders to reduce.

They have not reduced. This is the problem. The Tánaiste created the Celtic tiger, so she claims. She has created this mess, this level of illness and now she claims she will fix it, but I do not believe she will.

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