Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I listened intently to the Minister of State's response to the Bill, which I commend my colleagues for putting forward. The reality is that we have worked with the Bills Office on this Bill. We have worked with and listened to families and parents and we have listened to children on this legislation. The Minister of State is kicking the can down the road with a promise of action down the line. The mantra we hear from Government is that children can wait. We on this side of the House are clear that children cannot wait. We know from children, parents and families how difficult it is. Let us be frank. Most families have been affected by this in one way or another. We know from children and parents how difficult it is when they are in a dark place and cannot get the help they need and have nowhere to turn and nobody to speak to.

We came here today with a Bill, having tried to work on a solution, but all I am hearing from the Government is that we have to wait and that children have to continue to wait.

The reality is that it is not just a situation where this wait ends at 18. The third level students I deal with in my portfolio, as well as doctors, lecturers and people working in third level institutions, continuously come to me to say they are not getting the assistance they need in terms of mental health supports. Local GPs come to me to say they are inundated when trying to help students in the third level sector because there are simply not the supports available for that sector. I would like the Government to rethink this decision.

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