Shane Cassells (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for being here and listening to so many contributions and for leading the charge in this area under her portfolio. Over the past three hours, plenty of people have come in here to tell her what to do. I want to thank her for what she and her team have done. I also thank all of the agencies throughout Ireland with which she interacts for what they do on a daily basis. As this debate is going on they are going about their work.

It is not as if people are not aware that we are facing a massive attack on our mental health and mental well-being but the response has been substantial from a range of groups. This morning, on my way here, I do not know how many times I heard the advertisement from the HSE for yourmentalhealth.ie, making sure the message is getting out continuously and telling people there is practical advice for them. This is happening on a daily basis and I acknowledge this and the work being done by the Minister of State.

Awareness is the major issue and it should be the key aspect of this debate. I know it is the key aspect of the work of the Minister of State. Many of our community groups have played a leading charge in this respect because they cannot fulfil their normal role, be it as a sport club, a church group or a school. All of these groups, instead of doing their normal work, are remembering they are made up of members and individuals and they are reaching out to them on a continuous basis. Senator Buttimer was right in what he said earlier, that when people return to the fold of these groups they should be asked whether they are okay and that this becomes part of the norm. I acknowledge this is already being done.

Over recent years, we have become more open about protecting mental health and promoting positive mental health because it is a shared experience. This pandemic is testing us all in a way we have not been tested previously. Even those of us who might feel we are strong and resilient are feeling challenged and we do feel low. We wonder whether we should even be talking about it because other have suffered more because they have suffered a bereavement. People have lost in different ways. They have possibly lost their jobs or interaction through work or school, as Senator Byrne mentioned, sport, going to mass and the simple act of meeting people.

In an earlier debate, Senator Mullen called for resilience and said we needed to encourage people to be more resilient in the face of the onslaught of negative news. I believe we need to be more compassionate. Nothing can be better than showing compassion.I want to finish with some words by a fellow countyman, a man from Ashbourne called Rory O'Connor. He is a decent club footballer for Donaghmore but he is more famously known across Ireland for his videos and social media site called Rory's Stories that has 600,000 followers. Daily he uploads funny videos that have been a source of great fun for thousands of people and gives people a light-hearted moment. Lifting the mood is exactly what this man is about because he has had his own personal battle with mental health. Last Christmas, he launched his book that detailed his battle and journey to the good place that he enjoys now. His book and videos have been a source of hope for so many people who have and do suffer from mental health problems. I pay tribute to him, and wish to put that on record, because he has done more for people than he knows.

I will end by citing a couple of the words that he posted on his site to give people encouragement. He said:

Just remember to look after our own self thoughts. No doubt it's hard to remain positive, considering this has been going on for so long now. But remember you are not alone, so many others are struggling, struggling more than we have before. Let your family and friends know if things are very bad in your head. It might not change the world, but it will help you manage things a bit better by talking. We can all relate to somedays going OK and you're upbeat about things and other days it feels like the weight of the world is on your shoulders and its difficult to see any positives. Enjoy the good days and battle through the bad days. Stay safe and head up, ... [we will] enjoy normal times together when they come back and they will come back.

Never were truer words spoken. I say well done to the Minister of State for all that she is doing.