Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

I wish to share time with Senator Bradford. Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. The debate is on the effects of the recession on mental health. The effects, to quote a friend of mine, are extraordinary. The need to look after our mental health is far more important today than it has ever been in the history of our State. That is the reason it is important we provide adequate funding and the services people need.

Young Fine Gael has a motion before its convention next weekend regarding the spending on mental health but we must put things in context. We must examine the number of cases of suicide in this country in a two to three-year period. They have increased. They were people who were faoi bhrú. That pressure, as the Minister of State is well aware from his work, comes from a variety of different sources but predominantly from the recession, alcohol abuse, unemployment, sexuality and a myriad of other issues. We must allow people the opportunity to go to a safe harbour or refuge and in that respect, the job of Government is very important in providing services for people who are vulnerable.

We are talking about people, not statistics. The suicide rate is increasing by 25% but that means nothing unless we put it in context. It is the number of people that is relevant. In an article in The Irish Times in October, Dr. Conor Farren of St. Patrick's Hospital spoke about the link between alcohol consumption and suicide. A total of 527 people took their lives last year. That is an increase of 100 on the 2008 figure, which was 427. It is far more important to stress the number of people who commit suicide than the percentage increase because we are talking about people.

The figures are frightening. The quality of life of married couples and partners who are not married is at risk from this recession and in that respect the issue of mental health arises. Senator Fitzgerald spoke about having a roadmap. We have the roadmap, A Vision for Change, but what we need is a willingness to embark upon that journey with resourcing. The embargo on recruitment in certain areas of the Health Service Executive is having a profound impact on the delivery of services.

While we will come out of the recession, thousands of people who are struggling with depression and other mental health illnesses will be mired in the difficulties they are encountering today unless we put in place a structure. Early intervention for young people is vital. The waiting times for assessment are unacceptably high but what stress does to people is extraordinary. We see that every day. Every day all of us in this Chamber meet people who are under pressure and are struggling financially, emotionally and psychologically.

There is an obligation on us as legislators and on Government not to cut mental health funding. We have a cross-party group in this Oireachtas which has done good work. The Minister of State, Deputy Moloney, to give him credit, has been very sincere in his actions as Minister of State but I am genuinely concerned that if we embark upon a negative course of action regarding mental health, we will leave a legacy that will take a generation to change in terms of the policy. I hope we will not do that.