Mary Butler

I thank the Deputy for this important question. I welcome the opportunity to highlight this important initiative, which is being led by our colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Higgins, her Department, and HSE disability services. The single point of access will create an integrated approach across disability services, primary care and mental health to strengthen collaboration and to deliver m…

To expand on the point I was making, I have adopted a youth mental health strategy which started two years ago. It is called the "no wrong door" approach. It connects young people who have a mental health difficulty with the most appropriate level of care to match that young person's needs. Referrals to CAMHS are up 48% in the past five years. We know that many young people could be treated earlie…

If the Deputy wants to send on that case, I will have it looked at again. There are situations where there are challenges with CAMHS and children with another diagnosis. In order to be accepted into CAMHS, there has to be a primary diagnosis of a mental health challenge. We have to get better at doing shared care and that is the whole purpose of having this new single point of access. Bernard Glos…

I thank the Deputy for his question. I am really ambitious for transforming the mental health capital estate over the next three, five and ten years. I currently finalising a ten-year capital plan for mental health, which will guide our investment programme in mental health infrastructure. This plan is backed up by national development plan funding of up to €500 million for the next five years to …

As I said, the national capital plan for mental health is being finalised. The Deputy could ask me the exact same question about Waterford, where I am from, because we are in the exact same predicament as Cavan. He could ask me about the Jonathan Swift Clinic, the Lakeview unit in Kildare, Roscommon, the Mater Hospital or the St. Michael's unit in Cork. There is a myriad of various capital plans t…

The Deputy is quoting from the capital plan from 2025. I am currently finalising the capital plan for mental health for 2026. It will be published very soon, and the Deputy will see the details. Once a proposal is on the capital plan, it is not going to be removed from the capital plan. I am not in a position-----

It is not a question-and-answer session. I am not in a position to give the Deputy that information at the moment.

On 1 September last year - I say this every opportunity I get - I launched free counselling supports for men across the country. Four out of every five suicides in Ireland are men, notwithstanding that we have seen a reduction in the numbers, thankfully. Every single suicide has a profound impact on people. That particular mother lost her son. I speak every chance I get about yourmentalhealth.ie/m…

I thank the Deputy for raising this really important issue in regard to arrangements by section 39 organisations for healthcare assistants. First, I acknowledge the important role section 39 grant-funded organisations and staff play in our health sector, particularly the healthcare assistants working within those organisations. They have a key role in providing services to people with disabilities…

I certainly will raise this issue with the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, this morning. I am not sure whether he is in the building right now. I understand he is not, which is why I am here taking this Topical Issue. I appreciate that some groups, and these workers are not the only such group, are not covered by the WRC agreement and may be disappointed. However, the agreement reached covers…

The Minister for Health has asked me to thank the Deputy for raising this matter and for the opportunity to update the Dáil on this important issue. She is acutely aware of the role that primary care services, such as speech and language therapy, have in offering the opportunity for early and cost-effective interventions for children and young people. Nobody will disagree with the Deputy’s point t…

I acknowledge the Deputy’s continued advocacy on the provision of the myriad therapies that children, young people and adults need. It is important to recognise that overall activity within the eight core primary care therapies was significant in 2025, with approximately 1.24 million appointments provided across occupational therapy, physiotherapy, dietetics, psychology, speech and language therap…

I thank the Deputy for raising this really important issue in relation to suicides in our country. I welcome the opportunity to respond to him because we do not spend enough time speaking about suicide. It goes without saying that even one death by suicide is one too many. I offer my condolences to the family of Stephen McCarthy and the 14-year-old child the Deputy said will be buried this week. I…

On the report, I do not have it yet but as soon as I get it, I will publish it.

Yes, but I do not have it and the Department does not have it either. I want to be clear on that. To revert to the issue at hand, I want to touch on something I did last September about which I am trying to get the word out as much as possible. In Ireland at the moment, four out of every five suicides are male. It is important to acknowledge that between 2000 and 2021 Ireland saw a 28% reduction …

I move: Tuesday's business shall be: - Motion re Appointment of Chairperson of Standards in Public Office Commission (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately) - Motion re Seventh Report of the Standing Committee of Selection (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately) - Public Health (Single-Use Vapes) Bill 2025 (Referral to Committee) (without deb…

I note all the various requests from the various Whips. There have been many requests in the past weeks here and before Christmas in relation to statements on water and on international developments. They are all being facilitated tomorrow. We have important legislation this week including the home support providers Bill, the Copyright and Related Rights (Amendment) Bill and the Criminal Law and C…

No.

I move: That Dáil Éireann, pursuant to Standing Order 33, and with effect from 21st January, 2026, approves the Seventh Report of the Standing Committee of Selection, copies of which were laid before Dáil Éireann on 16th January, 2026.

I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Health pursuant to Standing Orders 103(2)(b) and 188(1).

This is scandalous.

That is appalling.

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue in relation to having a rapid response vehicle on a 24-7 basis in County Roscommon. I acknowledge that the Deputy has been continuously raising this issue and advocating in relation to advanced paramedics. By way of background, as the Deputy well knows, the National Ambulance Service serves County Roscommon out of three bases located in Roscommo…

I thank the Deputy for articulating the current situation in County Roscommon. The Deputy referred to people being put at risk. When anybody makes a 999 call looking for an ambulance, the call is triaged in relation to how serious the situation is, for example, whether it is a cardiac case, stroke, a broken limb, a fall or whatever else. The first response from the National Ambulance Service is al…

I thank the Deputy very much for his question. I am quite disappointed at how the Deputy has presented the situation in Wexford. I think of all of those who are working in mental health services in Wexford today. They would be disappointed by the Deputy's statement that Wexford has been completely left behind in relation to mental health services. I will approach this issue in three different way…