Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will direct my question to the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health and older people. As she knows, I have for a long time implored the Government to deliver on more services for young people around mental health issues. The reason I say that is I am very sadly confident that Cavan-Monaghan is a black spot when it comes to suicide among our very young population. I really want us to look at prevention, ways of reaching out to young people, and ways of allowing them the space and time to relieve themselves of the mental health issues they have. I am a firm believer in such services. We just have to look around the country to see what the likes of Jigsaw has achieved.

While there are services, and I acknowledge the Minister of State has put a huge amount of work and resources into our suicide crisis assessment nurse, SCAN, services and all those types of services within the HSE, Jigsaw is a recognisable entity. I again implore her to please deliver that for Cavan-Monaghan.

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