Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to put on the record my agreement with Senator Craughwell regarding the men of Jadotville. I watched the Netflix film of the battle the other night. If anybody in this House does not understand what happened at Jadotville, I highly recommend that he or she watch that film. They are absolutely inspiring men and they should be honoured.

While the economic consequences of the Covid-19 crisis have been well documented, its impact on the mental health of our people is an equally important consequence. The United Nations has warned that the Covid-19 pandemic risks sparking a major global mental health crisis. The World Health Organization has stated that the associated isolation, fear, uncertainty and economic turmoil could cause psychological distress. We can expect an upsurge in the severity of mental illness, including among children, young people and health workers. I have been contacted by many mental health support groups who have expressed their concern that as this crisis continues more and more people are suffering from stress and anxiety. Mental health services must be properly resourced to cope with the expected surge in demand for their services. Research shows that job losses are associated with increased depression, anxiety, distress and low self-esteem and may lead to higher rates of substance misuse and suicide. Loneliness is a condition that we normally associate with the elderly, but strong evidence now indicates that in Ireland young adults are experiencing the highest levels of loneliness during the Covid-19 pandemic. Evidence indicates that in April loneliness had decreased among those aged 70 and older while it increased among all other age groups, especially those aged between 18 and 34. Prevalence in this group has more than doubled compared with two years ago.

These issues must be addressed when the Government issues funding for mental health supports in the next budget. I would like to invite the Minister for Health into this House to outline the Government's strategy for tackling these issues.