The Dáil has been branded a 'temple of silence' on mental health and emotional well-being.
It comes after a press conference today at which six groups representing more than 1,500 charities outlined the impact of funding cuts on front-line services for people with disabilities, carers, young people, rural communities and other groups.
The event also heard a call for a new national strategy to restore and grow funding.
Conor Cusack is a mental health advocate for the Gaelic Players Association and the GAA. He is accusing politicians of not paying enough attention to mental health concerns, with all the major parties and independents ensuring Dáil Eireann is a 'temple of silence' on these issues.
Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast, Mr Cusack has revealed Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil invited him to address their Ard Fheis events last year, but he turned them down:
