Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Sinn Fein Party for bringing forward this motion and giving us an opportunity to raise this important matter.

I will start off by asking again that the HSE open Deer Lodge in St. Margaret's Road in Killarney, a purpose-built unit to cater for 40 patients. It cost millions of euro and has been lying there empty for over a year and a half. That is not acceptable. I raised it during the discussions on the programme for Government, I have raised it here at least twice and my brother, Deputy Michael Healy-Rae, has also raised this matter. It is not good enough that this wonderful facility is not operating. It wrongs the people of Kerry, and certainly the surrounding areas of Killarney, that this facility is not available to those who need it.

The HSE is proposing to close down Lantern Lodge in New Road in Killarney and to move those who attend there to Leawood House. Apparently, the facilities that the 18 or 19 patients who attend Lantern Lodge enjoy will not be available to them in Leawood House. I certainly will not accept that, and the people of Killarney and the surrounding area will not accept it.

Mental health issues and depression leading to suicide is a serious problem. People can be born with mental health problems and have depression all their lives and there are others whose depression is caused by pressure and stress. Starting off as children, they may experience stress at school and college, with examinations or whatever, or other family problems. It can be caused by a relationship break-up, the death of someone close to them, financial problems, loneliness and, indeed, rural isolation, which has happened in rural areas in Kerry on too many occasions.

People in very remote places have no recreational outlet. They do not meet anybody anymore. The creamery is gone, the post office is gone, and they cannot have a couple of drinks and drive home because of our stringent laws. I asked for a two-tier system where those in rural areas would be allowed get a permit through the Garda to drive on certain roads after having two or, maybe, two and a half pints. That was not entertained by the previous Government and I do not think this Government is interested in it either.

The Department of Health and the HSE need to up their game to recognise that some people need one-to-one care and assistance because we had a terrible situation again in recent times in Kerry and it is happening too often. Not enough funding is made available in the budget to deal with mental health issues. I am asking that more funding be given to it.

All of us know people who have problems, and maybe new problems, and if they are missing their social scene or not doing the things that they were always doing, we all should recognise it and try to talk to them. The duty of care is to mind our neighbours and we should all try to do better for them.

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