Disconnect between political will and will of people on mental health

As transition year students at St Wolstan’s Community School, Celbridge, we are writing this letter on behalf of our year group to express our view that mental health is the poor relation within our health system.

We have been awarded the amber flag by the voluntary organisation Suicide Aware for our promotion of mental health in our school community and it has come to our attention that there is a disconnect between the political will and the will of the ordinary citizens of this country.

If the turnout of over 120,000 people nationwide on the morning of Saturday, May 7, for the Darkness into Light walk is anything to go by, we think it is safe to say that the people of Ireland care about this issue.