Seanad report: Some people working in the mental health area were not giving the best service to vulnerable people, according to the Minister of State with special responsibility for mental health services.
Speaking in a debate on suicide in Ireland, Tim O'Malley said the vast majority of mental health workers were fantastic people delivering terrific services.
"But, unfortunately, there are some people out there who are not giving the best of service to people with mental illness and, unfortunately, that can have catastrophic results for the poor, vulnerable person or patient that they are dealing with."
The Minister said he had asked for research to be carried out into the incidence of single-vehicle accidents involving young males.
Clearly, the number of such accidents had been increasing. There was an onus on the health services to follow up survivors to ensure that, if suicide had been attempted, they received immediately the help that they needed.
Some newspapers gave the impression that Ireland had a suicide problem out of all proportion to the other 24 countries in Europe. It was important to remember that Ireland was actually in 17th place in Europe as regards the level of suicide.
"But the warning signs are there. We have to face up to things that are happening, especially with the young people. There is a challenge there for the Government and all of us with responsibility, to put proper and meaningful services into play that will alleviate the suffering."
Maurice Hayes (Ind) said some people regarded attempted suicide as a cry for help or recognition. There was the great problem of getting in touch with young people at that level. Some practitioners in this field had suggested that the best people to speak to young people at that level were those who had, perhaps, attempted suicide and then "drawn back from the thing".
John Minihan (PD) said some newspapers had recently published pictures of a man who had jumped into a river. "I found that offensive and intrusive."
The leader of the House defended Minister of State for Overseas Development Conor Lenihan, saying that he did not have a racist bone in his body.
Mary O'Rourke, who did not refer to her nephew by name, was reacting to comments by Joe O'Toole (Ind) about Mr Lenihan's controversial "stick to the kebabs" remark in the Dáil last Wednesday.
When Mr O'Toole raised the matter, Cathaoirleach Rory Kiely told him that what happened in "the other House" was not relevant to the business of the Seanad.
Mr O'Toole said he was not calling for anyone's resignation, but he felt they had to show their concern as a House if issues arose which they thought resonated with racism. He believed the Minister had made an unfortunate error.
Ms O'Rourke said she wished to put on the record that the person in question did not have racist bone or thought in his body. "Neither has anyone in our family. He has given an apology and it should be accepted. That's the way I look at it."