Gary Lightbody issues powerful speech on ‘mental health epidemic’ in Northern Ireland
"However you identify, whoever you love, we all should feel save and included in this new Northern Ireland"
Last updated 19th Dec 2022
Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody delivered a powerful speech at a Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission event, calling for the restoration of the power-sharing institutions.
The Commission’s annual statement assesses how the Northern Ireland Executive, relevant public authorities and the UK Government have taken action over the year to address ongoing or potential abuses of human rights.
Lightbody called on MLAs "regardless of party or allegiance" to work together to prioritise "basic human rights of safety, integrity, security, health care, mental health care, education, electricity and heat".
His kicked off his speech with a joke: "Nice to see that they’re using Stormont for something again eh?"
He continued: "I’m certainly not an expert in human rights. I’m barely an expert in being human. A fact most of the song lyrics I’ve written will quite categorically support. If something can indeed be ‘quite categorical’.
"Whoever you are, whatever your race, religion, background, however you identify, whoever you love, we all should feel save and included in this new Northern Ireland, one that shines outwards proudly into the world, rather than the remote place my generation and generations before grew up in."
READ: Gary Lightbody's full speech
Taking a closer look into the Cost of Living crisis, Gary highlights how much of an impact the winter is having on local families here in Northern Ireland.
"More, much more needs to be done to protect and secure the safety of vulnerable people in NI this winter.
"There is a finite amount of hardship and chaos that any society can handle, even one as resilient as ours. It is long past due to put the people of NI first and over and above any differences we may have in politics or religion. Heat, food and shelter are human rights. Pure and simple.
"We are a place and people that likes to downplay. We tend to understate. We are after all the only people in the English speaking world to turn the word GRAND meaning elegant, majestic, regal. GRAND designs. The GRAND old duke of york, GRAND plans. We turned that word of magnificence into… ‘MEH’.
“How are you?”…. “ACK, I’m grand”
“Oh leave it like that, it’ll be grand”
"NI punches above its weight on the world stage in sport, art, literature, music, and much more. We have been through a rolling conveyer belt of conflict, tragedies, heartbreaks and yet always seem to make it through to the other side."
Commenting on the issues surrounding mental health in Northern Ireland, Lightbody opens about his own struggles.
"I know a fair amount about mental health. Mostly from experience.
"We have to, in NI make it a priority that therapy and counselling are free and available to all that need it. At the moment those free counselling phone lines and services are buckling under the weight of the demand. They need the money and resources to bolster and support their undeniably noble and vital services. And the people of NI need it now more than ever."
Turning to politics, Lightbody speaks candidly: "I am addressing ALL of the elected politicians of NI regardless of party, or allegiance.
"The fact is that everyone in Northern Ireland is suffering. Whether it’s because of this current government shutdown or the previous government shut down. Whether it’s Brexit and its fall out, the pandemic, the mental health epidemic, the underfunded hospitals, nurses and doctors - the people trying to keep us alive. The heating crisis, the food poverty crisis, or myriad other crises. During all that mayhem is not the time to shut down.
WATCH: Gary Lightbody's full speech 👇
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