Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is extremely disappointing to think that the Minister of State's colleagues did not think it worth their while to come in and listen to the debate. A great number of people have travelled from the east, west, north and south tonight to make their case. It does not show much respect to those people and shows very little regard for them. They will have made maybe an 18 hour or a 20 hour round trip before they are back home again. It is disappointing that the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection is not here, which has been said already. Another Minister I feel should be here is the Minister for Health. I am sure my constituency is no different from any other in this country. Every one of these people, supervisors and assistant supervisors, is aware of and looks after people. We hear a lot of talk about suicide prevention. In my own constituency, a great number are suffering from mental health issues and because of the work of these people - those in the AV room and in the Gallery tonight - they have a reason to live and a reason to get up in the morning. They have a reason to go to work with the help and support of these people and their colleagues.

See this speech in context