Gerald Nash (Labour) | Oireachtas source

This is very progressive legislation and I hope it passes through all Stages in these Houses very quickly. It is the type of legislation behind which this House can unite and I hope that all shades of political opinion can assemble behind it. It really is critical. Senator Freeman herself deserves great credit for advancing this legislation. It is essentially about human rights. The Senator of course brings a huge amount of professional experience to this debate and to forming this important legislation, as do many Members of this House. I often do not feel qualified to discuss issues like this, on a professional level at least. All of us who are public representatives, however - I have been a public representative of one description or another for 18 years now - have experienced where the gaps in services are in constituencies nationwide. Valiant efforts have been made, often in very difficult funding circumstances, to try to build up the architecture of services in recent years. The voluntary sector deserves great credit for spearheading some of the campaigns and some of the advances we have had in the provision of services to people with mental health conditions.

I also congratulate Senators Marie-Louise O'Donnell and Craughwell for co-sponsoring the Bill. It is really important that this House is spearheading an initiative to explore and examine CAMH services across the country and I know that this has been led by Senator Freeman with the support of everybody in this House. I cannot think of a better and more appropriate use of the time and energy of this House and its Members than doing a comprehensive analysis and talking to people affected by mental health conditions. These are the children and adolescents, their representatives and indeed their families, the people bearing the caring responsibility and the responsibility to support those in what are often very difficult circumstances indeed. It is important that we reach out to those who experiencing mental health conditions and have these conversations in our national Parliament. The symbolism of that is really important. We have started to talk much more openly about mental health conditions in this country, conditions that we would just not touch even a short number of years ago. That is something of which we can be proud. That does not mean that the job is done, however.A good place to start when we are talking about the provision of services for children and adolescents is the Bill. A lot begins from this kind of perspective. It is, frankly, disgraceful that young people experiencing mental health issues are often confined to adult mental health units which are entirely inappropriate for them in terms of their age and the conditions they may be experiencing. It often serves to traumatise further young people who are in very difficult circumstances.

I was a member of the Government which in 2015, to the credit of the then Minister, Senator James Reilly and other colleagues, ended the practice of detaining young offenders in adult prisons, something that was entirely unconscionable, . It is extraordinary and, frankly, unconscionable that in the Ireland of 2017, young people with health problems too often have to face the prospect of entering adult units and all that involves. One of the most vulnerable cohorts of our society is being exposed to experiences that society should not expose them to. This has to stop, and it can stop if the House and Government accept the Bill.

I am sure Senator Freeman and the other sponsors of the Bill will be happy to work with the Minister of State and his officials to finesse and nuance the Bill. I am sure that offer will be made and the opportunity will arise. We can all get onto the same page on this issue. It is of critical importance. We can seek to address the resource issues we all know exist.

Notwithstanding all that, it is important we accept that, albeit incremental, services have improved in recent years. In my constituency we have a large new mental health facility in Drogheda which my former colleague, the former Minister of State, Kathleen Lynch, was instrumental in delivering for the area. It moves people from what are often Dickensian conditions in outdated facilities into new facilities. There are more outreach workers to deliver the community-based response we need.

Of course, prevention is key. Ensuring those who need acute services are accommodated in appropriate facilities with the range of different services they need is essential. I have already seen better outcomes from the types of services that have been delivered in my area in recent times. I appeal to the Minister of State to keep an open mind and ear in respect of the Bill and to work with Senator Freeman and the co-sponsors of the Bill to improve it if necessary.