Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The country is grappling with a deepening mental health crisis and it is children who are bearing the brunt. The Government, despite its many promises, is failing on all fronts to provide the necessary mental health support to young people. The coalition has been a saga of unfulfilled promises when it comes to child mental health services. The Children’s Rights Alliance’s latest annual report card underscores that failure, pointing out that the Government has been unable to fulfil even its modest mental health commitments for three consecutive years.

It is disgraceful that the Government is abandoning children with mental health issues and disabilities. Every day, children are suffering due to a lack of access to the care they need. This grave injustice cannot be ignored. The country is severely lacking in essential mental health services, with a mere 6% of the annual health budget allocated to such facilities. This spending is significantly lower than the average spend in countries, for example, the UK’s 10%, Norway’s 13.5% and France’s 15%. The current situation, which is characterised by unacceptably long waiting lists for appointments and children being denied essential care, is nothing short of scandalous. The Government is failing to fulfil its own programme for Government and it is the children who are paying the price. Our vulnerable children deserve better. They deserve timely access to care and support. They need to thrive. It is high time that the Government prioritise the mental health and well-being of our children and take immediate action to address this crisis. The call is for the Government to heed the voices of the children, families and experts who have been advocating for change together. We can ensure that no child is left behind and that every child can grow up healthy and happy. The time for action is now.

In the past week, I have seen the disastrous fallout of mental health issues with the death of my nephew through suicide. I would like to add to anyone who is feeling down or depressed or not feeling themselves to reach out to your family, to your friends, to your neighbours. The alternative is leaving a wave of devastation behind you when all it could take to change everything is a phone call or a conversation.

See this speech in context