Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome that we will have a minute's silence for Vicky Phelan. As was said yesterday, it is important that we not just commemorate her life, but that we put into words the actions she sought us to take.

This morning the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Mary Butler, a very progressive Minister of State in the Department of Health, launched an important report by the Samaritans on mental health. There have been 350,000 calls to its helpline. A figure of 19,000 from within the prison system indicates the importance of mental health and of the huge work of the Samaritans as an organisation. I thank the Cork branch under the stewardship of Mr. Jonathan Neville. It shows the importance of human connectivity as we emerge from Covid. As we saw during Covid, people were starved of human interaction and of the need to engage with one another. The longest night and the shortest day is 21 December. It focuses on the work the Samaritans is doing to shine a light on the importance of the work it is doing on connectivity and mental health.

I ask that we invite the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, to the House to discuss not just the issue of mental health, but also the work of the Samaritans. Its annual report entitled, the power of human connection, is one we should read. I commend the volunteers of the Samaritans on their extraordinary work. I know from speaking to them and from seeing the work they do and from talking to people who have benefitted from the services of the Samaritans, it is an organisation we should support. If the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, coming to the House could be facilitated, it would be much appreciated.