Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State. When I was downstairs listening to Senators Joan Freeman and Colette Kelleher talking about the amendments, I was reminded that both were the nominees of the former Taoiseach. Fine Gael's former leader chose these distinguished persons as nominees to the Seanad. That is important and I know why he chose them. It was because they were advocates in their own right and would bring enormous value to this House. It is important to acknowledge that and I want the Minister of State to take it on board as I set out some comments on what the Senators said.

I suppose we are all advocates. A journalist asked me some days ago what I liked most about my work in the Seanad. I said the first and most important thing was not necessarily scrutinising legislation, although that is important, with work at Oireachtas joint committees, but being an advocate for people outside the House, whatever their experience, their sad or good past, or their future. That is the most challenging aspect, but it is also the most rewarding. We bring to the job our personal experience. I have said before that we see the world from where we stand and our experiences within it. We are touched by sadness, personal stories and personal grief, but we bring them because that is what it is about. It is about humanity and empathy. It is also about standing shoulder to shoulder with those who need our support. Therefore, I can see why Senator Joan Freeman was picked. It was because of her sterling work in championing the cause of promoting good mental health. We all knew about her work long before she came into the House and she is passionate about it. She has organised a number of the consultation committee meetings. She has brought in people from the health sector, service users and people who were meant to be providing services. There were stark differences in their experiences.

I spoke to a number of families who told me harrowing stories about accessing or trying to gain access to services. They did not want to have to access services, but they had come to a point where they could not cope. In one case, it was a difficult son who needed help. It took his family a long time to come to terms with the difficulty. We all have high expectations for our children, but there comes a time when we need a little extra support. The woman in question told me about her terrible experiences and the trauma inflicted on her and her family. It was particularly difficult for her and her husband when they had to say goodbye to a child for a period. She referred to the types of service her family were being offered and how they had been treated. We have to do something about it.

I have no doubt about the Minister of State's commitment to mental health and health services generally. However, the days of nodding and saying we will do something in the future are over. That is no longer acceptable. The days of saying we are abstaining are also over. That, too, is no longer acceptable. We are in a public chamber and have an opportunity to demonstrate our commitment, which is important.

I want to share another story. I spoke to a woman in her 60s who had been in care and who had two children with mental health issues. She was on her own and vulnerable. She had two daughters and outlined her experiences. The trauma revisited on that woman who had lived in care until she was 16 years old and who was then thrown out on the street by a State care system was really heartbreaking. She had to relive a terrible experience and had difficulty in fighting the establishment.

I spoke only some weeks ago to a man whose daughter had been involved in a very difficult crime owing to her mental health issues. The case has been processed and help has now been offered. Again, the man's experience was frightening. He was left without support. When he saw what was being offered to him and his children by way of care, he noted that it was very different from what he believed CAMHS would be about. We have to do something about it.

We are empowered, as politicians in both Houses of the Oireachtas, and have an opportunity to address this issue. I urge Senator Joan Freeman to pursue the amendment. I urge everyone present in the House and every Member outside the Chamber to take a stand together, send a strong message, support the amendments and the Bill and the Minister of State in making progress on what is critical legislation.