Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Cork South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am very grateful for the opportunity to speak if only for a couple of minutes. Across the constituency of Cork South-West which I represent, mental health is a huge issue. A recent survey shows that 45% of farming families reported a family member being treated for emotional and mental issues. The numbers among the families of the rest of rural west Cork and towns are also very high. Early intervention, as in anything, is crucial.

The loss of guidance counsellors to schools had a particular impact across west Cork. People have told me that students could go in as if seeking advice on future careers but gain valuable information on mental health. Luckily, mental illness can be treated but unfortunately cash is needed. I cannot emphasise enough that the full committed funding needs to be provided and a plan needs to be formulated for going forward.

I will finish with a quote from Shannon Alder:

Never give up on someone with a mental illness. When the letter "i" is replaced with the letters "we" the word "illness" becomes the word "wellness".

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