Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

For years it has been correctly said Governments do not give a damn about people with a mental illness. Eighteen or 19 months ago the Technical Group tabled a Private Members’ motion on the subject in which it outlined its concerns and what it would like to see done. We did not push the matter to a vote because we did not want to turn it into a political football. It is way too serious for that. We said we would trust the Minister of State to do her job.

Yesterday, at a meeting of the Joint Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions, the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, was present to talk about suicide awareness and what we could do about having a suicide prevention strategy.

She said "[I]t is essential that when people reach out for that help, it is available to them." She also said that the environment should be enabling and not disabling, and that all we can do is to ensure people will know what they need to do if they get in trouble.

What was going on was outlined to the Minister of State yesterday. I imagine she is well aware of it. I was told I would get some answers. This week I tabled Topical Issues on Tuesday and Wednesday, which were refused. Obviously it is not important enough that our psychiatric hospital is in dire trouble. Today the matter was selected. One of the Ministers who should care has not even bothered to turn up. What has happened today is sick and twisted.

There is a public meeting in Roscommon today to discuss what we will do. The message Deputy Naughten and I will have to bring back is that no one seems to give a damn. We hear rubbish to the effect that if someone had a broken leg he or she would be taken care of. I agree. A mental health problem should be treated as equally important. It is quite clear that is not happening. It is not good enough - with respect to the Minister of State, Deputy Hayes, who is an expert on other issues but knows nothing about this - that he has been brought in here. It is an insult.

See this speech in context