Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim mo bhuíochas leis an gcathaoirleach gníomhach as ucht an deis chun labhairt faoin topaic seo. Is topaic an-tábhachtach é agus caithfimid gach rud a dhéanamh gur féidir linn a dhéanamh. Mental health and the provision of mental health services are extremely personal matters for many in the House and around the country. As Deputy Pat Buckley stated, it is an epidemic that has spiralled out of control. It is an epidemic that has touched almost every family across the State. We need something to be done now. We need to ensure we have adequate funding for people because it is not right that this is happening and that so much suffering is being inflicted when a great deal of it could be prevented by having adequate services.

Approximately one in seven adults has experienced a mental health difficulty in the past year alone. The fact that successive Governments have failed to provide adequate services is deplorable. In my constituency of Offaly which includes a part of north Tipperary there are no services. People are constantly contacting me, worried about family members and feeling helpless and unsupported. This must be addressed. It cannot be let go any further. That people with mental health issues are being failed by the State because of inadequate provision or the lack of funding for services to help them is absolutely disgraceful. Recent reports that the Department of Health and the HSE were planning to divert €12 million from the €35 million mental health fund to other areas are unacceptable. All communities in Ireland are affected by mental health problems, but there seems to be an absolute disconnect at governance level. At times, it comes across as if there is a lack of empathy in the provision of mental health services. This disconnect must be addressed. As Deputy Pat Buckley stated, those involved are humans and families. They are fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers. We need to do everything possible to help them. If we do not, lives are being put at risk. It is said that what is right is often forgotten by what is convenient. It is probably convenient for the HSE to divert €12 million from the mental health fund to other areas, but it is definitely not the right thing to do. It is so wrong that it is infuriating and frustrating. People look towards us for hope and direction. They have trusted us to work on their behalf for the betterment of the country. What hope is Dáil Éireann offering when we have a Minister for Health who presides over the stripping of funds from mental health services?

There is no doubt that the situation around Ireland would be much worse today if it were not for the great work being carried out by many individuals and voluntary organisations such as Jigsaw and SOSAD which are doing everything they possibly can. They must be commended for their efforts. Great work has also been carried out by GAA clubs in County Offaly through the Sport Your Mind programme. A number of years ago many in the county helped with the Big Brother, Big Sister programme in an effort to make a positive difference in young people's lives. I dread to think of where we would be today without those volunteers and how much higher the rates of suicide would be if it was not for them. Their invaluable work is being completely undermined by the inadequate funding and services being provided by the State.

Funding for mental health services and the roll-out of new services must be a priority for the next Government. When people are affected by mental health issues, they need to have services immediately available. As it is, there is too much time being lost. Countless people and organisations have worked to break the stigma associated with talking about mental health issues. There is so much work to do. When we work to break the stigma and ask people to talk and seek help, the services must be available to help. When they are not in place, people suffer. Families also suffer and lives are put at risk. Making sure mental health services are available, adequately funded and functioning correctly must be a priority for those of all parties and none as we face into this Dáil session.

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