Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State is very welcome. Ireland has one of the highest rates of mental health illness in Europe, with approximately 18.5% of the population suffering. A study carried out by Mental Health Ireland reveals that in general women have a lower well-being score than men and those who are younger score lower on the well-being scale than those who are older. In the past ten years, and in particular the past two years, things have changed dramatically for young people. There is still the added stress of the junior certificate and leaving certificate exams and now we have the added pressure of social media, Covid restrictions and cyberbullying. Young people are now more likely than ever to experience mental illness during junior cycle of secondary school.

To add to the comments of Senator Murphy, I am a member of the Oireachtas joint committee that met Frances Haugen. I concur with the Senator's comments. I said to Ms Haugen yesterday that millions of people around the world will benefit from what she has done.I do not know how to say this, but, as a result of her actions, many millions of children around the world will be in a safer place. It will make us reinforce our discussions and ensure that we have a tight Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill. We have spent nine months on pre-legislative scrutiny on this. We took it that seriously. In excess of 60 organisations made submissions or met with us in respect of it in order to ensure that we covered everything that we possibly could in the Bill. It is important that the individual complaint mechanism should be part of it. The mechanism is not really provided for in the Bill at the moment. I know that consultations are ongoing. It has to be part of the Bill. We met with the Australian commissioner as part of our discussions. Australia's commission has been set up and is working. That is what we need to aspire to; not just for Ireland, but for all of Europe. Millions of kids will benefit from it.

Guidance counsellors are unable to cope with the numbers of students who need support, given that some mental illnesses and issues are so severe. Social, personal and health education is a mandatory subject at junior and senior level in secondary school. The subject was reformed in 2021 to include LGBTQI groups. There is clear evidence that mindfulness has many benefits for teenagers and children. It can help them gain self-awareness and emotional maturity. It can also improve the overall mental health and decrease behavioural issues. St. Patrick's Mental Health Services offers free Walk in My Shoes mindfulness resources for teachers at primary level. Mindfulness needs to be taught to children in primary school and to be continued through junior and senior cycle. By helping children to become aware of their emotions at a young age, when they become teenagers the will be confident to speak openly about their feelings and get help when needed. The discussion around mental health can be encouraged in secondary schools through wellness, anti-bullying weeks or lunch clubs for those who might be struggling to make friends.

In order to alleviate the pressure on guidance counsellors, each year group should have a designated teacher to discuss any mental health issues or worries with students. This person should be have training in dealing with mental health issues. Mental health services in general are not strong enough to cope with the numbers of people who are in crisis. Therefore, we need to tackle this issue at a young age to ensure that children can identify their feelings and emotions and to communicate them with a trusted adult. The more open the discussion about mental health, the earlier we can intervene to help young people before the issue reaches a point of crisis.

Research that was carried out in 2017 showed that 32% of schoolboys are fitter than their female counterparts. Many girls quit sports in secondary school, leading to them missing out not only in the context of the physical benefits but also the emotional ones. There is clear link between exercise and better mental health. In that context, there needs to be a move away from secondary schools only having the traditional sports, such as camogie, hockey, football and soccer. Other forms of exercise should be offered. Yoga, Pilates and dance fitness classes should be created, particularly in all-female secondary schools. This would mean that girls who do not enjoy the pressure of team sports could keep fit, meet friends and improve their physical and mental health.

Early intervention is essential in tackling mental health issues in teenagers. Mindfulness classes at primary school level would encourage children to become more aware of their emotions and to discuss them, as I said, with a trusted adult. Moreover, it is an amazing skill for anyone, of any age, to have. If it is learned at a young age, it will continue to be used into adulthood. Secondary schools should have a designated teacher for each year group, as I say, to help students who are struggling. In addition, young girls need to be encouraged to continue playing sports and exercise in schools. A different variety of sports to cater for each student is essential to ensure that girls continue to keep fit, to socialise and to improve their mental health.