Concern about YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH brings out so much hypocrisy, especially in education policies. If they really cared, they could scrap the Leaving Cert. And restore the many cuts affecting young people – to youth services, to jobseekers’ allowance, to mental health services. Educational opportunities are still weighted heavily in favour of the better off – all the stats show it. And what about young people on apprenticeships? Covid has had a huge impact on supports they need. I spoke about this in the Dáil yesterday

 

Yet again, the beds at the Linn Dara facility In Cherry Orchard have been cut from 24 to 13. a huge reduction in a vital service for young people struggling with mental health issues. This comes at a time of rising suicides of young people in the wider area. Nothing highlights the failure of this Govt more than this: years in power and again unable and unwilling to address the shortages of nurses and others in our health service. We need to bring huge protests outside the Dail on this. 17.10.18

Press Release- Bríd Smith TD, People Before Profit        21/05/2018

Brid Smith TD for Dublin South Central has said that figures for suicide rates among young mothers in Ballyfermot, Clondalkin and Tallaght are shocking and the bitter fruits of successive Government’s policies.

The figures show that mothers in their 20s and 30s, with small children, represented half of the suicides in these areas, some 37 in all.Read more »

6 SUICIDES, MOSTLY YOUNG WOMEN. That’s the shocking record over the Summer in the area served by Linn Dara mental health facility. And yet beds are closed in it. Why? Becuase they can’t get enough nurses. Why? Becuase they won’t pay enough to retain staff and thereby ensure the stress is shared among a fully staffed unit. So they screw nurses with rotten pay deals, price accommodation out of their reach, and then say “it has nothing to do with money”. Disgraceful