I welcome my intern Noel Monahan and his mother and grandmother, Nessa Teehan and Angie Teehan. Noel has been an intern in my office over the last six to eight months. He has been a valuable asset to my team and I thank him for his contribution.

I want to raise an issue that warrants urgent attention from the House and from the Minister. Last week a young mother named Grace died by suicide after spending more than a year trying to be reunited with her infant son who was removed into care shortly after his birth. Her death is a tragedy and I extend my sympathy to her family. It compels us to look more closely at a broader issue that receives remarkably little scrutiny. International research has found that parents, particularly mothers, whose children are taken into care face significantly elevated risks of self-harm and suicide. A study published in The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry found that such mothers are almost three times more likely to attempt suicide and more than four times more likely to die by suicide. Similar findings have also been documented in the UK. This raises a very basic question. What do we know about this in Ireland? Does Tusla have data on the deaths, including deaths by suicide, of parents whose children are in care or subject to care proceedings? If not, how can it meaningfully assess the impact of child removal on parental well-being and mortality? Has any independent research been commissioned in this jurisdiction to examine this issue? If the answer to these questions is "No", then we must accept that Ireland currently has no reliable way of knowing how many parents may have died following the removal of their children from them, and that is not an acceptable position. In light of Grace's heartbreaking death and the clear international evidence, I call on the Minister to commission an independent national report into the mental health and mortality outcomes of parents whose children are removed into State care.

I agree with Senator Keogan. It is important that more research is done and that there is more transparency around suicide and the impact of children being taken into State care.

I have previously raised the issue of Rathmines post office being sold off, as well as the closures in recent years of post offices on Baggot Street, Kevin Street and in Donnybrook and Ballsbridge. That has had a hugely negative impact on those communities, particularly among the older members. It was announced recently that Rathmines post office is likely to be on the market in the middle of next year. Yet, there is no plan for what is going to happen to this historic building. It is really important that it stays in public hands. Rathmines post office could and should be at the heart of the community. It a vibrant community. It is a unique part of Dublin. The building itself is in the community since 1934. It is an art deco building and a building that cannot be replaced. If it is allowed to be sold off to a private developer, it would be a huge loss. It is beyond me how we could sell off such a beautiful building that has so much potential. It must and should be kept in the ownership of the State and, by extension, in the ownership of the local community. When the post office transfers to a new location, the Government needs to ensure the property remains in public ownership by facilitating the transfer of ownership to Dublin City Council, which has been engaged on the issue. There are some proposals from local community activists and different community groups on what might go in this space. In the future it should be a central hub for Rathmines community. It could be the heart of cultural and community activities as a venue for events, meetings and clinics. There is so much potential for this building and it would be a massive loss to find it turned into a café or a hotel. We need to see ambitious, forward-thinking action taken by the State to ensure this property remains in public and community use, and that the long-term good of Rathmines is not left to chance on the market.