Dáil debates

Wednesday, 27 May 2020

Covid-19 (Health): Statements

 

6:20 pm

Photo of Róisín ShortallRóisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

It will be interesting to see if there is any response on that point. The other issue I want to raise is the question of mental health services and the review or refresh of A Vision for Change. Several of us have raised this with the Minister previously and he has responded that while the review was completed and passed by Government and all of that, going back to December or January, that it is not his intention to publish the review because he would be criticised for it.

Today, a letter was sent to the Minister from representatives of Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, the Green Party, the Social Democrats and, afterwards, a couple of the Independent groups calling on him to publish the review of A Vision for Change. I have just received word that the Minister of State, former Deputy Jim Daly, has also written to the Minister urging him to publish it. The Minister has political support for doing it and I put it to him that given the urgency of the situation with mental health services he should commit to publishing the review. Everybody wants him to do it and nobody is going to complain or criticise him for doing so. Will the Minister commit today to publishing it immediately?

The reason I am saying it must happen immediately is that, apart from the fact that there has been a delay of several months, we are facing a situation where the level of mental health problems is huge at this point not only with regard to ongoing issues in mental health but also with regard to Covid-specific issues that are arising across the population. We know that is the case in every age group. There are major levels of stress for older people cocooning and for those in nursing homes. There is also stress with the impact of Covid-19 on family members. There is stress for front-line workers. Given the nature of their jobs, they are under enormous pressure and stress, which result in issues with mental health. In the case of young people, in particular, there is the fact that there are big question marks over their futures, their education, the restrictions on their social lives and so forth. Covid-19 is having a major negative impact on people's mental health across the population. For that reason it is extremely important that the review of A Vision for Change is published as a matter of urgency, the implementation group is established and the group draws up an immediate response to the immediate problems arising from Covid-19 and also the medium-term and longer-term responses. I strongly urge the Minister to publish it immediately.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.