Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I did not realise the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, worked for the Department of Justice.

I welcome the pilot 24-7 multi-agency mental health de-escalation team, which I understand has been set up in my own city of Limerick. It is something I welcome and support. Unfortunately, like most of the country, in Limerick issues regarding mental health have increased over the course of the pandemic. One of the things that the pandemic has cruelly demonstrated is how woefully under-resourced our mental health services are. Mental health is as important is physical health. A mental health concern is as big an impediment to an active life as any physical injury, but like an injury, if the resources are not provided, a mental health challenge cannot be addressed.

In Limerick, we have seen the child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, become overwhelmed with referrals. On many occasions, voluntary organisations have stepped up and have done an incredible job in supporting those in need. While there are many groups that I do not have time to mention, I would like to particularly commend the work of volunteers at the Limerick Haven Hub, Limerick Suicide Watch and Limerick Treaty Suicide Prevention, who do fantastic work on a voluntary basis.

The recent budget presented an opportunity to address the underfunding of mental health services. It missed the mark. What we needed was real investment. Sinn Féin proposed an investment of €113 million, but the Government has offered the equivalent of a lick of paint when the whole structure needs investment. The final outcome of the failure to treat mental health issues is often, sadly, suicide. In my home county of Limerick, we have lost too many - often young - people to suicide. Too often, the sound of a helicopter over the River Shannon is a signal that, tragically, another life has been lost and another family has been devastated by suicide. As such, any project or scheme that can alleviate pressure on these organisations while delivering care to those who need it should be welcomed and supported. My understanding of this pilot scheme is that it will be a multi-agency scheme that will involve mental health professionals, paramedics and specially trained gardaí. If a person is experiencing a mental health issue locally, then a specially trained team will contact them, triage them, treat them, and bring them or refer them to appropriate services. The scheme was part of a motion on the mental health crisis put forward by my colleague, Deputy Ward.

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