Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for highlighting the fantastic work the Samaritans do. When I was Minister for Health we had a discrete lottery fund allocation at the time and were able to assist Dublin and Cork Samaritans with new facilities. We should always seek to ensure their facilities are good and any training or whatever is supported. That is theiresprit de corpsand ethos.

The Deputy's important point concerned loneliness and the need for Government to adopt policies across education and the community more generally through Pobal and other initiatives to ease that huge issue.

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