Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to update the House on the progress made on supporting the mental health of our children and young people. I thank the Joint Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, for its work on the report Mental Health Supports in Schools and Tertiary Education. I especially thank the Cathaoirleach of the committee, Deputy Paul Kehoe, for tabling this motion today and for all the work that was carried out. Sometimes people looking in from the outside do not realise the amount of work that goes on in Oireachtas committees, the number of witnesses who come in and the number of hours that are spent down in the committee rooms. As the former Chair of the Oireachtas committee on business, enterprise and innovation, which dealt with a lot of Bills, I know phenomenal work is done in committees.

Our commitment to supporting the mental health of our youth is unwavering. It is our duty to ensure that the well-being and mental health of our young people remains at the forefront of our collective efforts. I acknowledge the concerns related to available supports for young people. These concerns are the concerns of parents, educators and caregivers who want our young people to thrive within our school and college communities but also across society. Schools and colleges play a vital role in the promotion of children and young people’s academic, physical, mental, emotional and social development. Our education system is key to equipping children and young people with the knowledge, skills and competencies to deal with challenges that may impact on their well-being. The report of the joint committee is comprehensive and includes recommendations across several areas of education. I am pleased to update the House on the fact that the Government has taken several steps to support the well-being and mental health of young people and to implement the recommendations since the report’s publication. The work to date spans a number of Departments, which is key, and we all need to work together.

Some of the recent developments include the year-on-year funding for mental health services being increased in budget 2023 to over €1.3 billion in 2024, with a strong focus on investing in youth mental health. On a Thursday evening, I will not be accused of not having the political will.

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