Marie Moloney (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the announcement by the local District Attorney that there is to be a formal investigation into the Berkeley disaster in which so many people lost their lives and many others were left with life-changing injuries. I wish to comment on one of the bravest of young people, Ms Clodagh Cogley. The injuries she has suffered are unbelievable and she may never be able to walk again owing to a broken spinal cord. However, despite all this and the traumatic experience of losing so many friends in the incident, she is facing life with optimism and has vowed to enjoy life to the full. She said, “Enjoy a good dance and the feeling of grass beneath your feet like it’s the last time because in this crazy world you never know when it might be.” How true and apt that is. I salute her bravery and optimism. I hope she will be an inspiration for those facing tragedy, just as young Donal Walsh from County Kerry was when he was facing a terminal illness. He was such an inspiration for so many.

It is disappointing that the banks were let off the hook in reducing their mortgage interest rates when the Court of Appeal overturned the High Court's ruling. Irish mortgage rates are 2 percentage points higher than the European average. If the banks will not do so voluntarily, it is time the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, put the boot in and forced them to do it, perhaps by introducing legislation to cap mortgage interest rates. I welcome the Taoiseach's statement that it is unacceptable that lenders are breaking the code of conduct on mortgage arrears.

I welcome the launch yesterday by the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, of Connecting for Life, Ireland's new national strategy for suicide prevention 2015 to 2020. The new strategy succeeds and builds on Reach Out, Ireland’s first strategy for suicide prevention for the period 2005 to 2014. The Government also committed to replacing the old Central Mental Hospital with a state-of-the-art national forensic hospital, which will be operational by 2018. It is developing four 30-bed intensive care rehabilitation units in Cork, Galway, Portrane and County Westmeath, which is most welcome. However, one size does not fit all, which is why there is a wide range of services included within the strategy. CSO figures show a slight drop in suicide rates in recent years, but the figures are still too high. One life lost through suicide is one too many. Perhaps the Leader might invite the Minister of State to come to the House for a debate on the strategy.