Jigsaw support for Cavan-Monaghan
Deputy Smyth welcomes a counselling pilot for primary schools and asks for a Jigsaw youth mental health service in Cavan-Monaghan. Minister Butler says Jigsaw coverage is incomplete nationally, acknowledges gaps in the Deputy’s area, and agrees to meet Jigsaw’s chief executive to discuss progress.
I will leave it to the Minister of State to deal with the Jigsaw issue. I know how important the service is. We have one in Dublin Central. I can see the amazing work it does. The Minister of State will give the Deputy a more specific answer on the issues she has raised.
The initiative brought forward by the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, yesterday, is much needed. Rather, it was the Minister, Deputy Foley. I will get in trouble for that now. I fear those who suffered the most during the pandemic were our youngest and our oldest. An initiative such as this, to support our youngest at primary and secondary levels, is valuable.
Comment on this
I thank the Deputy for her question. I am delighted to hear Cavan-Monaghan has one of the pilot projects. We have 67% coverage of physical Jigsaw services throughout Ireland to provide youth mental health supports for those aged 12 to 25. However, there are some glaring areas that do not have Jigsaw provision, including the Deputy's area, community healthcare organisation, CHO, 5 and Kildare. I will meet with Dr. Joseph Duffy of Jigsaw in the next fortnight to discuss this. Jigsaw moved to provide many supports online during the Covid pandemic, but I wish to progress some physical premises and I will focus on these three areas.