Donna McGettigan (Clare, Sinn Fein)

The counsellor-student ratio should be 1:1,000 but at the moment I think it we are at 1:1,500. We need to bridge this gap. I am glad to hear about Togetherall and that it is a 24-7 service but is there a waiting list for it? Students struggling with their mental health today should not have to wait weeks for help. They should not have to choose between paying rent or paying for therapy and they definitely should not have to suffer in silence. I believe that the Minister will be willing to work on this and I know I will continue to push until all students have been listened to and their burden in respect of mental health is helped. This is a very serious issue and we all should be working towards a solution.

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