Roscommon Comhairle na nÓg gives presentation at Leinster House

Roscommon Comhairle na nÓg visited Leinster House last week where they gave a presentation on their ‘Listen Link’ project to promote good mental health.

The local group gave a briefing to Oireachtas members on the project at Leinster House’s AV room.

Senator Gareth Scahill said he had been liaising with the group about the visit.

“Listen Link is an early intervention counselling initiative for young people with issues that may be affecting their mental health,” he said. “It’s a project that they have priced and are trying to get it rolled out as a pilot scheme in County Roscommon, and then try to roll it out on a national level.

“It’s student-led, and anything that is from the ground up needs to be listened to, so I was happy to facilitate the meeting.” 

The group also met local TDs, Deputies Martin Daly and Claire Kerrane, while in Leinster House.

Senator Scahill said he also had the chance to raise the issue of funding for youth services with the Minister for Education in the Seanad.

“Today alone, we had briefings from the Comhairle na nÓg in Roscommon on a scheme for early intervention in mental health issues,” he told the minister. “It is a scheme where the students came up with the solution themselves. It is a listening and support service undertaken by youth workers dedicating specific hours to specific students weekly. The cost of the pilot programme being proposed was about €170,000, and that was to deal with all the students in Roscommon alone.” 

He added that he would continue to liaise with the minister on the matter.