Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Mental health in Ireland is, thankfully, being increasingly discussed in an open and transparent way. For too many years there has been a stigma attached to mental health, which portrayed mental illness as a sign of personal weakness and a taboo subject within society in general. Mental health is not just the absence of mental illness but is in fact a level of mental well-being which equips us to deal adequately with the day-to-day challenges of life while achieving our potential in a professional and personal capacity. This means it is something which affects all of us.

Mental illness in this country is still a widespread problem with high levels of depression and other illnesses across our communities. The number of people living with mental illness has risen sharply over the past few years. This is partly due to the impact of extreme stress and hardship which people experienced during the height of austerity, but it is also because more people are coming forward to seek help.

This new willingness to seek help is a direct result of the increased public discourse on mental health and public awareness initiatives. A huge amount of credit must also go to campaigners who have shared their stories of survival and perseverance. There is no doubt that the intervention of such people and their very human stories have inspired people to speak out and have in the process saved lives.

The phrase which has been popularised in recent years, that "It is okay to not be okay”, sums up well the drive for people to feel comfortable to seek help and for others to support their friends and families. These types of conversations should be actively supported.

A lot of progress has been made in how we as a society treat mental health and illness, but the number of people who take their lives each year shows that we have a long way to go. We can also see that a high number of people engage in self-harm or para-suicidal behaviour but we must remember that mental illness is not just about suicide or self-harm. Many people who suffer with depression, anxiety or psychosis may never seek to end their lives, nevertheless, their illness is debilitating and limits their potential for happiness and success in life.

As with our medical system, our approach to mental health must not be solely about treating emergency situations but also about guarding against them and improving society as a whole. In Ireland today, it is estimated that one in five individuals suffers with mental health issues in one form or another. I would speculate that the actual figure is higher. This is because of a stigma still being attached, whether it be with young men and their perceptions of masculinity, or with older generations due to the position held by the Catholic Church for many years.

According to the latest figures available, there is evidence that suicide and mental illness are not specific to a particular demographic but are applicable to all walks of society. We all know of someone who has been a victim of mental illness and the effect that such deaths have on those closest to them. These deaths are undeniably tragic, but are also preventable if the commitments the Government has made were to be followed up on.

We have to ask a number of questions. Do we have the right strategy and, if so, is it realistic and properly funded? Workers within the sector have consistently highlighted how resources and funding made available to them annually are nowhere near enough to enable them to provide an efficient service based on a proactive approach, rather than a reactive one. Anecdotally, I am told by some mental health professionals that they have noted a stark increase in demand for their services in recent times, thus putting more pressure on their resources.

Mental health services have been historically underfunded in this State to a shameful degree. We are very lucky to have so many excellent charitable and voluntary bodies which have championed those who are struggling with or overcoming mental health issues. For far too long, they have filled the gaps that have been left by a failure of the State to address mental health with the seriousness and focus it deserves. These services rely greatly on donations and fund raising. They are often severely over-stretched and they should not be used to absolve the Government of its responsibility in the provision of mental health services, allowing it to distance itself from these services at a time when substantial additional funding is greatly required. One group, SOSAD, deals with between 450 to 500 people on a weekly basis and almost its entire budget goes on providing these vital services. It is stretched to the last cent of its funding and this limits the ability to provide training to its volunteers. It also puts major strain on the people involved and their morale.

This is about the expense incurred by a young person and the substantial costs of services. The issue of cost is something that alienates people from availing of these services and may be the difference between people getting the help they need or not getting it. Unfortunately, we all are too aware of the consequences of people being unable to access these services. Rural Ireland has once again disproportionately suffered in this regard with most services based in urban areas. Limited transport to these centres may mean travelling up to 20 or 30 miles for some people and could result in a large portion of their time being taken up. The lack of basic services must be addressed if we are to reduce suicide and mental illness figures in any significant way.

The predicted funding of 6.5% of the overall health budget does not go far enough in the provision of mental health services and is still a long way off the 10% recommended. Last year alone, there were 459 deaths that were known suicides. This is one and a quarter deaths per day. How many of these may have been preventable if more proactive and accessible services were in place? One of the major problems is our after-hours services and weekend services, which are practically non-existent. We need a 24-7 service with psychiatrists on hand in accident and emergency departments. The Government promised this but it does not seem to have been delivered. A recent case of mine involved a person who was turned away by an ordinary doctor. There was no psychiatrist available. This led to serious consequences. There is a shortage of nurses and the number of those leaving or retiring from the services is disproportionately higher in mental health services compared to other hospital services. People are being turned away from accident and emergency departments and are not being diagnosed properly. It is high time that we really began to regard this issue as one of paramount importance. Since 2011 alone, we have lost over 2,000 of our citizens to suicide. Many of these were young people whose lives were taken far too soon - lives with so much potential that will never be fulfilled.

In A Vision for Change, the Government promised to keep people in their communities. A total of 40 people met regularly at the Tus Nua facility in Ballymun. It was going very well. The people were interacting and working with each other on a regular basis. They are now being dispersed across the service in the different areas around Ballymun leaving us with no proper service in Ballymun. This goes against the philosophy of A Vision for Change. I would also like to mention Finglas Suicide Network, Pieta House and all the volunteers who have worked so hard to help people over the years. They have helped people significantly. The Tree of Hope, which the Minister of State may have heard of, is an organisation that is highlighting suicide. It operates across the country and has spread to Europe where it plants trees for those who died through suicide. People come along and put names on the trees. Those trees have been left in parks the length and breadth of the country and the organisation is now moving into Europe. It was begun by a woman in Tallaght and keeps awareness high. Even young people who come to the parks, some of which have been vandalised, do not touch these trees. The trees are a reminder that some of their friends have been lost through suicide. Initiatives like that have been proven to help in the fight to get services and make people aware of this major problem that affects practically every family the length and breadth of this country.

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