Why was mental illness not an election issue?

I watched Bressie on Claire Byrne Live recently. Also on the show was a beautiful young lady, Michelle Ross, who spoke about losing her brother, Derek, to suicide.

I could not help but notice how annoyed, and, indeed, angry, Bressie looked, and, of course, with good reason. He spoke about the recent election and the lack of mental health issues being talked about by the candidates.

He felt it was a disgrace that mental health was not an election issue, which was indicative of where it is in terms of a political agenda.