Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I assure Deputy Durkan that I cannot imagine anybody falling out with him or hating him. He is a likeable fellow. I commend the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, on being here for the discussion. Too many times, Ministers do not appear for debates.

In light of recent events, it is important to discuss and air our views on equality, inclusion and diversity. Where equality, inclusion and diversity are poor and resisted, one of the many levels on which it presents itself is discrimination. We now live in a world in which discrimination can take many forms and can be expressed in many ways. It can be words shouted on a street or voiced over social media. It can be expressed through exclusion from opportunities and, of course, through bullying, harassment and victimisation. Whatever form it takes, it cannot be tolerated. The more something is tolerated, the more it is normalised. We need to take a strong approach to tackle this type of behaviour. As individuals, we all need to call out this discrimination when we hear and see it taking place. That approach can be taken through the passing of effective legislation here in the House but it also involves more education. The rumour mill, as we have seen in recent years, can disguise the truth and put false realities in people's minds. Time is of the essence as the spreading of the information, whether accurate or false, can be immediate.

I note what the Irish Council of Civil Liberties has recently said about the issue of hate speech. It stated a distinction needs to be drawn between what hate speech should be criminalised and what should be tackled through other means.

In terms of developing legislation to address this, the council has called for wider consultation with civil society organisations and people with lived experience throughout the legislative process, as well as more research on the topic.

The provision of mental health services in society in general is poor. Young people come to me regularly who feel excluded from the mental health system or who find it difficult to access care. They also believe it does not hit the mark when they do engage with the system. The level of need and type of assistance provided varies and can often depend on geographical location. Last year, during a discussion on the mental health needs of people of all ages in Tipperary, I was told that rural isolation is a big issue in terms both of accessing services and of being unable to discuss shared experiences. I was told that this was particularly the case for LGBTQI+ people during the pandemic. I was also told that the specific medical needs of LGBTQI+ patients are often not met. We must learn from these experiences and factor them into training for healthcare providers and practitioners. The needs of the LGBTQI+ community must be catered for and addressed.

This year we found out the truth about CAMHS. It has been confirmed that young people like those to whom I spoke and who felt let down by the system are being failed. Indeed, they have been failed for some time. It is not surprising that a survey by Mental Health Reform found that only 24% of LGBTQI+ participants were satisfied with their experience of HSE mental health services. Over the years, I have been beating the drum for better mental health services in Tipperary. Sinn Féin also has campaigned strongly for this at national level and will continue to do so. At the same time we will continue to advocate for an inclusive society in all aspects of Government policy and service provision by working towards ensuring better supports at community level.

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