Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The author Sharon L. Alder once wrote, "Never give up on people with a mental illness. When "I" is replaced by "We", illness becomes wellness". That is what we want for every single person with a mental illness. Every community in Ireland is affected by mental health problems. One in seven adults will experience a mental health difficulty this year. This fact cannot be ignored. The stigma of mental health that has haunted this country, where people were committed to institutions in the past, is fading away slowly and we are starting to have an open and honest discussion, which should be encouraged. I commend roles models like Bressie and Jim Breen of Cycle Against Suicide.

I welcome the Minister's decision to commission an evidence and expert review of A Vision of Change and the confirmation that new funding remains in the mental health base. I also welcome the recommendations of the expert group report on the review of the Mental Health Act. I hope that the Government, whatever Government it is, will legislate in 2016 for these recommendations in line with international standards. We need a Government focused on important issues. I ask that all politicians in this House engage in the democratic process of forming a Government rather than some of them grandstanding and others sitting on the fence.

See this speech in context