Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)

Yes.

A terrible tragedy has just occurred and others will occur unless we change the way we provide protection for children and supports. It is about protecting against abuse and the effects of mental illness. The wider community must have an understanding of those risks and dangers. If anything comes out of this tragedy which leads to a greater understanding of, and more discussion in the public arena about, mental illness, then it will have had some benefit. The undertaker in this case acted correctly. However, that understanding about risk must be developed. We must also be aware of the things which are not true of mental illness because often people's fears are groundless. A much greater awareness in the community and in our schools of mental illness needs to be developed.

We also need to see professionals in place. We cannot rely on gardaí, who are not social workers, to fill the place of social workers. That is not the way forward. Let us remember that the HSE is now a closed system and is not accountable. It does not have the checks and balances which the old health boards had and that places a far greater onus on all of us to ensure the lessons learned are applied.

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