President Michael D. Higgins officially opened the GROW Conference at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin and spoke about mental health.
In his address, the President said that Irish people now understand to a greater extent what it means to be mentally healthy, and are increasingly better placed to recognise the earliest signs of mental ill health.
"We all want to see an Ireland where Irish people feel comfortable to share their experiences of mental ill health with those close to them and be able to ask for help if they need it. However, far too many people with mental health problems suffer in silence, and report that negative attitudes, stigma, and discrimination remain very serious impediments to their inclusion and meaningful participation in society."
The President has spoken on the theme of mental health on a number of occasions, including at the IPPN annual conference and in the "Being Young and Irish" initiative.