Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There is no doubt that the pandemic has been difficult for everyone's mental resilience and mental fitness, but two groups find it even more difficult than most. When one's toolbox is full, one will find it easier to respond to a global pandemic, whereas when one has challenges and when there are complexities in one's life, it is inevitable that one will suffer more. The two groups I have in mind are dealt with in my area by the Finglas Counselling Service and the Finglas addiction support team. I imagine that the Finglas Counselling Service is the same as many community-based counselling services throughout the country. It provides an excellent service and responds to the service failure by the HSE to provide much-needed counselling, often at an entry level to issues that can be resolved easily within counselling before more profound mental health difficulties can develop. What can we do to support such community-based counselling services?

The other group I wish to raise is supported by the Finglas addiction support team. The Minister of State will be aware that I have spoken many times about the issue of dual diagnosis. Dr. Amir Niazi, the clinical lead in this area, stated to the Special Committee on Covid-19 Response last year that he looked forward to bringing forward a report that would deal with the four recommendations in the Finglas addiction support team's report, namely, re-establishing a clinical governance programme, amending the Mental Health Act to provide that there is no such thing as a wrong door for people with either an addiction or a mental health problem, and providing education for professionals in both services in order that the two issues could be linked.

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