Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

During the recent debate on the Mental Health Parity of Esteem Bill brought forward by Deputy Ward, Sinn Féin drew the attention of the Government to how mental health services tend to be an afterthought in overall health policy and service provision. That was apparent pre Covid-19, but it has become more pronounced now that, as a society, we are facing the challenges brought on by the fear of contracting Covid-19, as well as by the measures we must take to stop its spread.

One word that describes the situation that affected many people before Covid and which has became more of a topic of national discussion with the onset of the virus is "isolation". The poor provision of mental health services had already left many communities almost isolated. Through the years in County Tipperary there has been a very active and widespread campaign to get proper mental health services for the county, but what is in place still falls far short of being a comprehensive network of mental services that are available to all, no matter one's age or geographic location. The consequences of the pandemic have brought this into sharp focus. We have found ourselves in a situation in which people have been confined to their homes for months on end. They have also been unable to engage in social pursuits which all Members know benefit one's mental and physical well-being. Some people are now afraid to leave their homes because they are worried about contracting the virus.

What must be taken into account is that so many families who have lost loved ones during this crisis have been unable to grieve in the healthy way they would have previously, when communities would gather around the bereaved. The consequences of this issue are mounting with the increasing isolation. The pandemic has limited people's ability to avail of the mental health services they need. All kinds of outreach services for communities in rural areas have been restricted, including services for victims of domestic violence. This comes at a time many people have been confined to unhappy homes. In short, the ability of people to avail of the services they need has been reduced.

Many people will postpone or have postponed seeking help and support. We have heard of that being the case with regard to many physical illnesses, but we have not heard as much about how people are postponing appointments for or are unable to get the mental health supports and counselling they need. We must ask why that is the case. Again, it comes down to parity of esteem. This is why attention must be paid to the motion.

We must no longer allow a person's geographical location to determine who can avail of services. Work must be done to bring these supports to the people who need them but cannot get them. The health service must link with community service organisations to ensure nobody is forgotten as a result of their isolation. Covid has changed the way we are able to go about our business and the health services and social services must adapt quickly to that.

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