Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

For eight months now the State has been dealing with the threat posed by Covid-19. We are rightly told to follow the science, but science is empirical and it is based on data. I am concerned by the lack of published data. Peer review and transparency are central to any scientific response. I want to focus in particular on the data on mental health. The National Self-Harm Registry Ireland in Cork ceased functioning for the duration of the first lockdown.

At the end of August, it started to collect data again, both prospectively and retrospectively, but at the time of the second lockdown there were no data available in respect of the first. However, we were told that the national clinical programme for the assessment and management of persons presenting to emergency departments following self-harm - that is quite a mouthful - which is run by the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland and the HSE, was collecting data throughout the duration of the first lockdown. Where are those data? Has they been collated? At the time we were announcing the second lockdown and this Dáil was voting to facilitate it, I was standing where I am now when the Minister of State, Deputy Mary Butler, told me I would be provided with those data. I have not yet been provided with them and I have not managed to obtain them. The collection of those data is publicly funded. It is in the public interest that these HSE and College of Psychiatrists of Ireland programme data be collected. The programme is funded by the public so surely those data should be in the public domain to inform this House and the Government on the measures they take.

Yesterday, the Tánaiste talked about a third lockdown. We cannot go into a third lockdown without at least knowing the impact of the first one on mental health. I do not know whether those data are available. I am told they are but they may not be collated. If they are not collated, they are of no benefit because we cannot consider the impact of data that have not been collated. Will the Taoiseach commit to publishing those data? There is a broader issue regarding publishing the data and evidence available to NPHET to ensure that they are transparent and can be peer reviewed. That is not to undermine NPHET. Peer review, whether regarding the development of a vaccine or any medical or scientific response, is central and we cannot do that without the transparent publication of data, modelling codes and evidence.

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