Where is there any help for people who suffer from mental illness? Our TDs don’t want to know anything about young people, who are becoming depressed.

Do we have a duty psychiatrist on call 24/7 to help? The answer is NO! If you are unwell after 5pm, you may as well stay at home. There is no point in going to a hospital to see a duty psychiatrist, as they won’t be there. If you are sick at the weekend, you can’t just turn up at a hospital to see a duty psychiatrist, because they don’t work weekends. So, what do you do? Phone your GP, who will charge you Û60 to see him and you still won’t receive the help you need.

By the time people get the help and support they need, it could be too late. They may well have committed suicide, become another statistic and another family will have to go through the heartbreak of the loss of a loved one. How many more people have to die because there is no support out there for them?

I know of one person, who has an alcohol problem; they had to wait six weeks to see an alcohol councillor. Only for the support of his family and friends, this person could have died. He was referred to see an alcohol councillor on the 15th January 2007 by his GP. The GP had to be told to refer this person. He saw the alcohol councillor on the 7th March 2007. Why did it take so long?

In London, I worked for fifteen years in supported housing. We provided support to people who were homeless, those who had mental health issues, alcohol and drug misuse problems as well as ex-offenders. I was also a mentor to prisoners coming back into the community.

I was told sometime ago that we do not have a problem with homeless people or alcohol and drug misuse in Ireland. I was told that the people who are homeless are people who chose to be homeless! Our TDs and councillors need to start doing something NOW to help and support the people who have mental health issues and alcohol and drug problems, and help ex-offenders and prisoners. They need to provide local support for these people and not turn their backs on them.

They need our help and support in the community. Never laugh at homeless people or people with special needs because one day you may become homeless or develop a mental health or drug and alcohol problem. These people do not choose to have a problem but the problem is there and needs to be addressed.

Connor Ryan