Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It pains me to have address the Chamber about such a personal issue, but I wish to bring up a recent attack that was carried out against a member of staff in my constituency office. During this incident, a 999 call went out to An Garda Síochána, while continued attempts were made to de-escalate the situation. The difficulties that have been experienced by the 999 dispatchers to obtain local assistance is very concerning. Equally concerning is the Government's continued failure to provide adequate mental healthcare services to those who need it most. For clarity, this was a connection to the mental health services. It is unacceptable that those who are pleading with the HSE to be admitted to mental health services are instead left to fend for themselves. This highlights the urgent need for this Government to increase funding to mental health services, as well as increased ambition in resourcing and recruitment for An Garda Síochána. What actions are the Government taking to improve mental health services and gardaí emergency response capacity?

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