Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú) | Oireachtas source

I will give the Taoiseach another example if I can. The National Suicide Research Foundation collects data on self-harm presentation from emergency departments throughout the country. These important data were suspended in the vast majority of these hospitals until the end of June. Even today, self-harm data are still not being collected in all of the emergency departments throughout the country. Face-to-face consultations for serious mental health issues are radically reduced. I understand that as many as 70% of those face-to-face consultations are not happening at present. In the main, these have been replaced by telephone calls. Telephone calls are no substitute for people who are in serious mental health situations. I have heard commentators say the health service is facing breaking point this year due to Covid. The truth of the matter is the health service is at breaking point every year anyway in this particular State. The difference of the situation is we have advance notice of this exceptional circumstance. This gives the Taoiseach an opportunity to prepare properly.

I ask the Taoiseach not to leave 100,000 women in a queue for BreastCheck. Do not set up a hierarchy of illness. Do not pit one patient against another in their pursuit of treatments. Will the Taoiseach provide the necessary resources now to make sure people get the life-saving treatment they need in the coming months?

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