Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I do not have a question but I have some comments. One year ago, we had no idea that our world was about to be turned upside down. If we had seen Covid-19 coming, I like to think we would have been prepared. Sadly, a crisis seldom gives fair warning. Another crisis is looming and making its presence felt more and more each day, however.

The people of this country, young and old, have moved towards a mental health crisis. That crisis has arrived and it is obvious that we are not prepared for it. This lockdown has hit people much harder. Every age group is finding it harder to cope. There has been an immense slump in the mood throughout the country. We see alarming numbers of daily deaths, new cases, new mutations of the Covid-19 virus, confusion and dismay surrounding the vaccine roll-out, and long, dark and dismal winter evenings. These issues, in addition to the upheaval that restrictions bring to their lives plus the idea that there is no certain end in sight, have proven too much for many people.

It is not just that people have lost their fight, that optimism has deserted them or that they are simply worn down by the life we are now forced to live. It is more than that. People are suffering from what is referred to by psychologists as reactive or situational depression. It is very real. Its most common triggers are bereavement, isolation, health worries, financial concerns, loss of independence or control, and restrictions or limitations that impact normal routines.

We hear the mental health statistics regularly. There has been a 30% increase in prescribed medications and helplines are overwhelmed with desperate callers. We seldom hear the human stories behind these cries for help during this pandemic, such as the woman who has lain in a hospital bed for two months without any visitors, the man who has been inside his home alone since Christmas with only a knock on the door to tell him his shopping has arrived, the family who cannot afford a computer for their child to access schoolwork, the teenager who spends all day, every day, online with no human contact, the family that has lost three members to Covid-19, the woman who is afraid to go shopping in case she touches someone who could infect her, and the elderly lady who cries every day as she is so afraid of becoming ill.

There are endless stories and endless suffering. People will continue to suffer long after the pandemic is over. Many will not bounce back to normal life just because this virus is suppressed. Taking off our masks will not be enough to make people smile again. It will take time and it will take help. We know this now; we can see it coming. We must prepare for what is yet to come. There is no excuse for us to be taken by surprise this time. We must invest in our mental health services, particularly our community services. Now is the time to build the human resource capacity to deliver quality mental health and social care in the community. We owe this to people everywhere. We need to address their suffering. They need intervention help and support. We urgently require a focused approach and a co-ordinated plan that is properly resource and funded so those who reach out for help can be assisted to overcome the burden of mental health pressure.

See this speech in context