This conversation is very welcome. I welcome the motion. I speak regularly with young people in my constituency and young families. The reality is that when somebody is in a crisis situation or finally gets to that point where they realise they are not okay, they need support and help and they reach out for help, it is vital that at that point the State is ready to meet them where they are at. We have all heard too many heartbreaking stories of people who have been left waiting, people who have felt unheard or people who have just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. The impact that can have on a family, friends and entire communities cannot be underestimated. It is also important to acknowledge the front-line professionals. From nurses to clinicians, gardaí and volunteers, oftentimes the people on the front line go above and beyond. They do everything they can to help. They sit with people through their darkest hours. They deserve credit for that but they also need a system that will enable them, support them properly and ensure that when they are trying to support people, they have the support in place to do that effectively. That is a really important point. We need a system that supports our front-line workers. I welcome the debate primarily because it is a chance for us to have an honest conversation about the gaps that exist while still acknowledging progress. The Government has a clear policy here about the need for the right care in the right place at the right time. Oftentimes, emergency departments are not the best setting for a person to present in a mental health crisis. It is already a chaotic environment and there is no doubt that can contribute greatly to how somebody would be feeling at that time at a point of despair. It is really important that we look at that, acknowledge the merits of this motion and move forward collectively, all seeking the best outcomes for anybody who ends up in a position where they have built the courage to present. They need to know the State is right there beside them. It is important to look at what happened in the budget. It was a major step forward. It included 300 additional mental health staff and more than €15 million ring-fenced for crisis supports and suicide prevention. Speaking as a man, there were 15,000 hours allocated for men's counselling last year. That was really welcome. I know there are new, specialist crisis nursing teams that are working out of hours in major hospitals. These are all things to show the Government is taking this seriously and we want to see serious improvements in this. It is also a reflection that more has to be done because we all know the cases. We all know families who feel that their person who ultimately took their own life was let down by the State or services and it is really important that we minimise those encounters and situations. They cannot be allowed to happen. We have to be there to support people. The system has to be there to support people. We also have to be really solution-oriented here. All of those investments I spoke about there is the direction of travel. It is important to discuss how hospitals respond as well. There are national clinical programmes in all 26 emergency departments now. There are proper assessments, safety plans and follow-up care. I will finish with one last point. Everybody here can agree that when somebody is in a crisis or somebody has an emergency, the State needs to be there to meet them.

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