Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I take this opportunity to acknowledge what has been achieved in recent years and the good systems that are in place. Examples of such systems include the west Cork mental health service, which operates a 24-hour listening service, and the Celbridge community mental health team, which has a seven days per week service, with service users also having a telephone number to contact the acute unit if they need it. That type of service, encompassing a home care service, a key worker system and 24-hour telephone access, is vital and should be available in all communities. It can give people with mental health issues a sense of security that there is somebody at the end of the telephone line who will listen to them and help them. It is a factor which can reduce hospital admissions. I also acknowledge those people with mental health issues who have had the courage to speak out publicly. That has done a great deal to reduce the stigma around mental health problems.

There is a correlation between austerity and its associated cutbacks and mental health issues. Indeed, in times of austerity we see increasing demands on mental health services. In 2013, for instance, there was a huge increase in people presenting with mental health issues. A study conducted in one of the communities I represent showed that for one in every three people who presented with a medical problem to the local doctor, there was also a mental health aspect. Any further cuts in the funding of services will lead to an increased incidence of mental health issues and more demands on those services. In the long run, that will prove even more costly.

There are very significant gaps in services for those with a dual diagnosis, that is, persons in addiction who also present with a mental health issue. In many cases, in fact, such persons are also homeless. We need an inter-agency approach to the provision of supports for individuals in those circumstances. As it stands, people have to present to a different agency for each problem, namely, homelessness, addiction and mental health issues. I am a member of the board of a counselling centre in the north inner city which is very active on suicide prevention and working with those who have been bereaved by suicide. The centre regularly rolls out the applied suicide intervention skills training, ASIST, safeTALK training and mindfulness training. It is one of the few centres that will counsel people who are active in their addiction and it is taking referrals from leading agencies. However, none of this is reflected in the funding it receives. I hope that the review of the ReachOut initiative might lead to an improvement in this regard.

I understand the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, is in favour of introducing a requirement for informed consent from patients before electroconvulsive therapy is administered, an issue which is being examined by the expert group. I hope that provision will be brought forward. I take on board what the Minister, Deputy Reilly, said about people who cannot make an informed choice, but there is a need for families to be fully informed of what is happening.

We must work to ensure there is a linkage between physical and mental well-being. Ceapaim go bhfuil sé dearfach go bhfuil an díospóireacht seo againn anocht agus amárach. Ba mhaith liom aitheantas a thabhairt don Teachta Ó Caoláin.

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