Defence Forces

3 contributions · 3 speakers · 195 words

Q101 FG Fergus O'Dowd to the Minister for Defence

101. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Defence the progress made in implementing the mental health and well-being strategy for the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3629/22]

Summary of this debate

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What progress has been made in implementing the mental health and well-being strategy for the Defence Forces? The mental health and well-being strategy for the Defence Forces, which was launched by me on 2 December 2020, recognises the unique nature of the experience of military life in Ireland.

The aim of the strategy is to provide a co-ordinated and effective mental health and support system for the personnel of the Defence Forces through the adoption of a series of measures between 2020 and 2023. Eight supporting objectives - governance, resilience, suicide, stigma, critical incident stress management, a comprehensive approach, military families and a model for clinical support - have been identified as essential components of the strategy to support the principal aim.

Built by scoring every sentence in the debate on how distinctive its language is, then quoting the highest-scoring ones back word for word and in the order spoken. Nothing is paraphrased or invented — if a sentence appears here, it was said in the chamber. Drawn from 195 words across 3 contributions by 3 speakers.

Most used terms in this debate

How often each word appears across the whole debate, ranked by how distinctive it is to it rather than common to all parliamentary language.

forces 4

defence 4

mental 4

military 3

well-being 3

strategy 4

co-ordinated 2

health 4

personnel 2

aim 2

support 4

stigma 1

The full debate

All 3 contributions, start to finish, in the order they were made.

FG Fergus O'Dowd

What progress has been made in implementing the mental health and well-being strategy for the Defence Forces?

FG Simon Coveney

I will have to give a quick answer as we are tight on time. The mental health and well-being strategy for the Defence Forces, which was launched by me on 2 December 2020, recognises the unique nature of the experience of military life in Ireland. The aim of the strategy is to provide a co-ordinated and effective mental health and support system for the personnel of the Defence Forces through the adoption of a series of measures between 2020 and 2023. Eight supporting objectives - governance, resilience, suicide, stigma, critical incident stress management, a comprehensive approach, military families and a model for clinical support - have been identified as essential components of the strategy to support the principal aim. It is intended that, at the end of 2023, mental health and well-being support within the Defence Forces will be delivered in a co-ordinated, multidisciplinary and directed manner that is designed to produce the best outcomes for the organisation and the military personnel and their families.

CC Seán Ó Fearghaíl

There is just time for Deputy John Brady to introduce Question No. 105.