Madam, - Amnesty International's recent report, "Mental Illness, the Neglected Quarter", has highlighted serious shortcomings and inequities in Ireland's mental health services, revealing a failure to meet even basic international standards.
Fourteen years ago Ireland ratified the UN Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights. It firmly bound itself to respect Article 12 which provides "the right to everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of. . .mental health". Amnesty's report indicates that this right has nevertheless been consistently ignored by successive governments.
As an Amnesty member I echo its insistence that a major overhaul of Ireland's mental health system is urgently required. This reform must involve the full participation of people with mental illness and their families and be afforded the necessary resources to finally bring our services into line with international best practice and law. Furthermore, this must not end up being just another unimplemented policy document left to gather dust.
While the stigma that still hovers over mental illness may never be eliminated, it can be reduced, mainly by providing good community mental health care, but also by raising public awareness. This too is the Government's responsibility. - Yours, etc.,
MARGARET HOLOHAN,
Sussex Road,
Dublin 4.