I heard the Minister of State’s speech and appreciate its tone but she has to admit that our mental health services are at crisis point. More than 50,000 people with a mental health crisis present annually at emergency departments, yet many hospital emergency departments are simply not equipped to deal with such incidents. That speaks volumes about how the State treats those who are experiencing bouts of chronic depression, schizophrenia or anxiety, to name just a few conditions. In Naas General Hospital, in north Kildare, 1,200 people with mental health difficulties were referred to the emergency room in 2023 alone. That is a staggering figure, pointing to the increased pressure on hospital services due to increasing numbers presenting for emergency care for mental health issues. Mental health conditions do not exist in isolation. It is big-picture stuff. The housing crisis has contributed massively to the rise in the figures. We cannot talk about mental health without mentioning our housing crisis. People without a home do not feel safe ever. They are constantly on edge and worry they might not make it through the night if sleeping outside. If in an unsafe homeless shelter, they fear for their safety as they try to sleep. Many such people end up in jail instead of being properly treated for a mental health crisis. A constituent of mine in north Kildare who was struggling with homelessness and addiction has been constantly in and out of jail. Jail is not what he needs; he needs mental health services and a home, and that goes for so many people in jail. We hear a lot about the need for more jail space. We need more mental health services as well. My constituent should be availing of services in an adequately resourced Lakeview unit beside Naas General Hospital, not behind bars. We desperately need to help these people instead of casting them aside. The Government needs to invest properly in our emergency departments to properly accommodate those who report with unstable mental health. We are letting people down. I appreciate that the Minister of State is not opposing the motion. There is no better Teachta than an Teachta Clarke with whom to work collaboratively.

Sentiment score: -0.23