Teresa Costello (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State to the Seanad today. I acknowledge mental health awareness week. I must admit that I only heard last night that this initiative has been running for 20 years. It is a testament to the growing awareness of and commitment to mental health across Ireland. Each year, this week is marked by a theme. In 2021 it was nature; in 2022 it was loneliness; in 2023 it focused on anxiety; in 2024 it was movement; and this year, 2025, appropriately, the theme is community. What a vital role community plays in mental health.

We all know that mental health struggles are often invisible. They are not always seen but very deeply felt and can be incredibly isolating. That is why community support is so crucial. It wraps around people when they need it most. In my community of Tallaght, I have seen at first hand the extraordinary power of community-led mental health support. Individuals after experiencing personal tragedy have gone on to become pillars of strength for others. I refer to people like Johnny Fox, may he rest in peace, who was one of the original forces behind Darkness into Light; Mary McLoughlin, who founded HOPE Tallaght; and Jean Haas, who established NINA for Life suicide awareness. These are just a few names among many. There are countless volunteers and advocates. I could stand here all day naming each person who is lighting a path forward for others in pain. Just last weekend, our community came out in strength for Darkness into Light. Walks were held in Thomas Davis GAA Club and St. Anne's Park. HOPE had a walk in Dodder Valley Park. NINA for Life organised a walk in Kingswood. There was a Pieta House event in Tymon Park. I am sure there were other events that I missed. The message was clear that our communities care deeply. These walks are more than just events. They are symbols of shared loss, shared strength and the belief that no one should ever face darkness alone.

The programme for Government, Our Shared Future, acknowledges this. It commits to radically reforming Ireland's model of mental healthcare and fully implementing Sharing the Vision, the national mental health strategy. That includes annual increases in mental health funding, 24-7 access to crisis mental health services, stronger mental health supports in primary care and community hubs, and targeted supports for young people in schools and youth services. Mental health services are allocated almost €1.5 billion of funding for 2025; a record level. Since 2022, the mental health budget has increased by 44%. This investment is enabling significant change and improvement to how we support people in suicidal crisis, people with ADHD, eating disorders and access to talking therapies for men, in particular. Investment alone cannot solve this issue. We must reform how mental health services are structured and organised. Our focus is on providing early access to support through community-based teams, preventing people from becoming more unwell and requiring inpatient treatment.

While recruitment remains challenging, it should be noted that between the end of 2019 and February 2025, mental health services saw a net growth of 753 posts. Over 96% of those posts are for those involved directly in client care.

The mental health of our youth must be our number one priority. Irish children today are growing up in a world which is vastly different and undoubtedly more challenging than any previous generation. Growing up and navigating your teenage years has always been awkward and difficult, but technology and social media have added an entirely new facet to this. As parents, it can be difficult for us to know how to support our children through these times, which is why it is important for them to have mental health services to which they can turn. There were 4,228 children on the child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, waiting list nationally in February 2025. The Government has prioritised the reform of CAMHS, and youth mental health services more generally, through the establishment of the first ever child and youth mental health office in the HSE, with a dedicated national clinical lead and director. As part of budget 2025, additional posts will be recruited into CAMHS to improve access to services and reduce waiting lists. Alongside this, €3 million in recurring ring-fenced funding is provided to address CAMHS waiting lists. That money is badly needed.

Mental health must be treated with the same urgency and seriousness as physical health, not just in theory but in how we fund, plan and deliver care. Mental health is also about more than just services; it is about belonging, connection, compassion and hope. It is found in small acts, including how we check in on a friend, make room for a child who is struggling and create safe and welcoming spaces in our schools, sports clubs and community centres. Let us use mental health week not just to raise awareness but to reaffirm our collective responsibility to ensure no one feels alone and that every person, regardless of age or background, knows that it is okay to ask for help because help will be there.