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

The new national forensic mental health service, which will replace the Central Mental Hospital, will help ease the burden on staff while also providing top quality, modern and safe facilities for patients. This was urgently needed and I am hopeful that this project will finish construction and be ready for use by mid-2019. It is important that we continue to develop community mental health services and dedicate resources to increasing the availability of mental health services in primary care. It is also essential that the new Government implements measures to ensure that the HSE's recruitment policy does not undermine the implementation of the mental health action plan. We need to make sure that qualified people are appointed.

I have had the experience of accompanying a close friend who was admitted to a hospital setting in 2007 for mental health issues. That was at the height of the Celtic Tiger era. The services in the hospital were appalling. I find it difficult to stomach listening to criticism across the House that when resources were available and when the country was awash with money, it was not spent on our mental health services.

A community-based advocacy service needs to be established for adults and children engaged in mental health services in our communities. We must make sure that affected families have the support structures to help alleviate the pressures of mental illness and that they know that there are professional health services available. It is vital that these services are readily acceptable to communities and particularly to young people. We need to look at developing a national programme for primary and secondary school students to be educated on mental health issues, resilience and well-being. Although overall suicide rates are down, the rate among young males and females is far too high. We must have greater consideration for the pressures faced by our young people. Organisations such as Headstrong and the Jigsaw service for young people have done a great deal of work in providing a safe and supportive environment for those suffering from mental health issues. They have helped to ensure that everyone has someone to turn to in an hour of need. I greatly admire their work. Teachers in classrooms must be trained and have the resources available to deal with students who are suffering from mental illness.

The message from people who have been affected by mental health issues is that it must be a priority for the next Government. Can we as politicians get real? Let us deal with the real issues that the people of this country elected us to deal with. We must continue to develop our services and our mental health services so that we can provide quality care to those most vulnerable.

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