Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State is very welcome to the House. I acknowledge her hard work in this area and on older people. I commend her on it.

There is no doubt but that we are bombarded with news about Covid from early morning until we go to bed at night. There is a constant stream of information about death tolls, infection rates and the R number. We need to know what is happening so this is necessary, but in recent months it seems everybody has become an expert on public health. Covid is present in every conversation with others, even here in Leinster House, through our masks, as we keep 2 m apart.

The mental health of every group in society has been impacted. From babies born last year, who have been held only in their parents' arms, to the elderly population in our nursing homes, this virus has truly affected every part of society. We are affected both by the virus itself and the necessary restrictions that have been introduced to try to contain it. Therefore, there is a double whammy. The disease itself has caused significant stress and anxiety. It has increased social isolation. There has been major disruption in our daily lives, particularly in the education sphere. Those in employment face uncertainty and so many have concerns over financial security.

The sandwiched generation, as we call them and about whom I spoke earlier on the Order of Business, are exhausted. They are caring for their elderly parents while trying to work and home-school their children. There is a very real threat of burnout in this case. We have to put in place positive mental health strategies to help this cohort to get through.

Children are missing the structure of school, and children with no siblings, in particular, are very isolated and lonely. Teens have no social outlet whatsoever. Leaving certificate students, in particular, are reporting very high levels of stress and anxiety, particularly since the announcement by the ASTI yesterday. All this is to say nothing of our front-line workers, who have had the most difficult year of their working lives. Many are reporting symptoms of post-traumatic stress.

Grief in the pandemic has been a very lonely place to be, coupled with the absence of our usual rituals of mourning. Jennifer O'Connell had an excellent article last weekend about families morning in a vacuum. It was heartbreaking to read. Many of us identify with it.

The department of psychiatry in Trinity College Dublin points to evidence that the combined effects of the pandemic and restrictions have caused significant psychological distress in one in five people. The rate is double that among those who work in the healthcare sector. As we move through the Covid landscape and look ahead to when the population will have been vaccinated, we have to consider the possible long-term mental health effects of what we have experienced in the past year. I refer to everyone from those with a pre-existing mental illness to those who have been particularly impacted by Covid and the restrictions, including those at risk for the first time. These are the children, youths and adults, including older people, whose lives were disrupted by economic and social upheaval.

Interesting research done on the severe acute respiratory syndrome, SARS, epidemic is absolutely worth examining.The final point I will make is on the need for services for our young people. I brought it up before in Commencement matters and I have spoken to the Minister of State about the need for a Jigsaw facility in Newbridge, County Kildare. We have the highest cohort of young people and it is vital. I believe we are high up on the list and I would appreciate it if she would take that from today.