Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I was very happy to co-sign this motion on mental health and am delighted to speak on it this morning. For me, when we talk about mental health and access to timely and affordable support, we are talking about everyone. Mental health should be like climate action; there should be a cross-party, all-Government committee and it should be taken into consideration for every aspect of policy making. I heard the Minister of State speak of legislation. I hope that does not end up like the climate action legislation, which waters down everything which had been proposed. It concerns me because while we are very good at passing legislation, we are very bad at implementing it. If we only implemented the legislation that exists at present, we could have a process that works very well for everyone.

What better way to address mental health supports than to actually listen to people? A great deal of talk therapy is just having someone to listen, and depending on whether it is cognitive behavioural therapy or other forms, it is about a person having a safe space to talk through their feelings. Someone with €60 or €70 per week spare can access private counselling sessions. If someone cannot pay privately, he or she effectively is finished and will be obliged to wait and wait. Covid means that many will only have access to therapy online but what of those who do not have a computer, smart phone or safe space to talk to their counsellor? Undoubtedly, Covid has had a huge impact on people's mental health but our services were already diabolical before its onset. Although we are saying that we want to get back to that, we should set the bar much higher in terms of seeking to move beyond that.

What of those in emergency accommodation, a cramped hostel or in direct provision? What of those in distress but who also use drugs? Pieta House and other services will not provide emergency support to people who smoke cannabis. The suicide rate for members of the Traveller community is unacceptably high, as activists and advocates told the first meeting of the Joint Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community in September 2019.

If vulnerable, marginalised or targeted groups say "nothing about us, without us", we should listen. We should allow them space to tell us what they need and then we should do everything we can to take action. That will make a difference to people’s mental health, together with the resources for timely and affordable access to supports. I commend the Irish Examineron giving a platform to trans activists, Noah Halpin, Aoife Martin and Fionn Collins at the weekend. I also wish to comment on two podcasts, "The Tortoise Shack" and "The Week at Work" with Dave Gibney and Clare O’Connor, which invited trans activist Lillith Carroll on to have her voice heard. It was a particularly tough week for trans people last week and I offer my full support, as always, but it is important that their own voices are heard.

We all need to create the space for people to feel comfortable talking about their mental health. Help must be available when someone reaches out. I ask that the Government accept this motion, fully resource the "Sharing the Vision" strategy, and not get caught up in thinking there is a need for new legislation, rather than implementing what we have.

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