Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I do not disagree with the Deputy. With regard to the level 4 specialist trauma informed bereavement counselling, the NCS provides trauma informed bereavement counselling for more complex cases in some CHO areas, so we have that in CHOs 1, 8 and 9, although not in the other six areas. This service is available to both medical card and non-medical card holders, which is very important, and clients can self-refer or be referred by a GP or health professional.

I agree with the Deputy on this. Since I started back visiting day care centres, I see the number of older people who were bereaved during Covid who did not get that opportunity to go to the funeral. We all remember that maybe only 20 were allowed to go to a funeral initially. For those who were bereaved and who specifically were not able to say goodbye, and who stood at a window outside and watched their loved one dying, that is very difficult.

There is a myriad of supports there. The Deputy has got me thinking today that it might be no harm to do more information profiling and get it out to the public that these supports are in place.

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