Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I commend Deputy James Browne on this Bill and on his huge efforts during the run-in to last year's budget to ensure a proper multiannual framework for budgeting. All of the work the Minister of State has spoken about with regard to legislation is coming from this side of the House, from the Opposition. The priority the Opposition has given, collectively, to pursuing mental health legislation and funding places in a very poor light the long-fingering we have seen again in the Minister of State's statement.

Legislation such as Deputy Browne's Bill can only do so much. Ireland needs a complete change of culture and attitude. Can one imagine running emergency departments on a Monday to Friday nine-to-five basis? It would not be allowed to happen. This is, however, what we are doing with our emergency mental health services.

We also need a change in the culture among our general population. One of the biggest examples of a culture change in environmental awareness, for example, has been the green flag programme in schools. Children at national school level have led the change - and the change in tone - around how we treat our environment in each household. I would like to see a similar programme introduced around mental health awareness at primary school level to equip teachers with the resources and the skills they need to be alert to the mental health of their pupils and to encourage children from an early age to talk about mental health in the same way we talk about physical health.

The legislation can be put in place, the resources can be put in place, but we also need a change of culture so we treat mental illness in the same way we treat physical illness. When physical illness hits a family the meitheal goes around the family with the chain of supports. There are, however, often cases where the support does come around when it involves mental health and people tend to stand back. This could change with programmes such as a school programme.

The culture within Government also needs to change completely. The organisations that work in the area of mental health should be given the same priority in government and by the Government as this Opposition has given to them.

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