Member's statement: Mental Health
Member's statement by Mrs Julie Middleton on .
- MLA
- Mrs Julie Middleton
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 14 April 2026
- Type
- Member's statement
- Business
- Members' Statements
- Heading
- Mental Health
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5481954
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I welcome the opportunity to speak to the Chamber not only as a representative of the Foyle constituency but as a community member who has long seen the devastating effects of mental ill health in Foyle and beyond, most recently in my home. I offer hope, compassion and genuine care to those who are walking the complex journey that is mental illness. To anyone listening who is currently walking that journey, I say this: you are seen, you are valued, and your struggle does not define your worth. Poor mental health is a universal human experience. It does not discriminate. It does not care about your postcode, your politics or your profession. Whether you live in the Waterside or the Cityside and whether you are a business owner or a student at Magee university, the pain of depression or the grip of trauma can affect anyone. In Foyle, we are a resilient people, but resilience does not have to mean suffering alone. It means being able to say, "I am not OK", knowing that your community will rally around you. Saying that you need help is a brave step to take, not an easy one. We must be honest about the consequences of inaction. In Northern Ireland, we carry a unique legacy of trauma that continues to cast a long shadow on our citizens. When mental health support fails, the ripples are felt everywhere, most tragically in the home, where heartbreak is felt from suicide. One life lost is one too many. We know that one in five adults here will face mental health challenges. Those people are not just statistics; they are our neighbours, friends, colleagues and family members. They are valued individuals. Importantly, there is always hope. In Foyle, we are blessed with incredible organisations, therapists, the NHS, charities and churches. There is help out there. Those services are the heartbeat of our city's recovery, but they cannot do it alone. As an MLA, I am committed to doing my part, to listening, to learning and to being proactive on the issue. Let us replace the stigma of past attitudes towards mental health with compassion and the hope of a bright future, of help when it is required and of a deeper understanding by us all.
378 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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