Mental health sufferers struggle to access rights

PEOPLE with mental health problems face difficulties accessing their rights to education, work, suitable housing and welfare, a panel of national and international human rights experts has heard.

Organised by Amnesty International Ireland and chaired by former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health, Paul Hunt, the panel heard 100 people with personal and professional experience of the issues speak about the barriers people with mental health problems can face.

Mr Hunt said many people once thought permanently or inherently limited by a diagnosis of major mental illness have demonstrated that full recovery is possible.