Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with Senator Cullinane that anybody with information on child abuse or sexual abuse of any nature should pass it on immediately to the relevant authorities, the Garda in the South or the PSNI in the North. I hope that his party leader and his fellow party members who have information about anyone guilty of this type of crime who may have been run into the South - or run from the South into the North of Ireland - would pass that information on as a matter of urgency to the relevant authorities and that they would be first in the queue with the information.

I support the call made this morning by Senator Pat O'Neill for an urgent debate with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Simon Coveney, on the beef sector. There is no logical reason farmers in Northern Ireland should receive €350 more per animal than their southern counterparts for beef. The beef sector is in crisis. I do not want to see any factories blockaded because it impacts on people's livelihoods and jobs, but farmers have no option given that their livelihoods are at risk and many of them will go under. This debate must be scheduled as soon as we return the week after next.

I want to renew the call I made recently for the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, to come into the House for a substantial debate on the mental health budget for 2015, with particular reference to suicide awareness and prevention. In doing that, I acknowledge the innovative campaign rolled out last week by the HSE's national office for suicide prevention in conjunction with 20 partner organisations, called "The Little Things". The "little things" are acts of self-care that are proven to help us feel better and get through tough times. The campaign gives tips on matters like the need for people to keep active, the need to talk about their problems with others, helping others who are in difficulty, staying in touch, eating healthily, drinking less alcohol and looking out for others. I hope we will circulate the posters, cards and information that we have all been given widely. Particularly given the impact of social media, there are great opportunities to publicise this highly innovative campaign among the wider public. However, we must have a substantial debate with Deputy Lynch in the near future on the topic of mental health, and particularly in relation to suicide prevention and awareness.