A Picture Worth 1,000 Broken Promises – This Was The Dáil Attendance During Today’s Mental Health Statements

There are a million reasons you could give for why the Dáil was empty today during today's statements on Mental Health services. We've heard them all before. We know that TDs have local duties to attend to; we know that others have to carry on with the important (but endless) business of forming a Government; we know that there's more to being a TD than sitting in a chamber during every single debate. But sometimes, putting your arse on that seat – the seat you battled so hard for, and which you claim to value so highly – is exactly what the job is all about. It's a statement of priority; a declaration of intent; a signal to the people of Ireland that you actually give a damn about the subject at hand. And that's what makes this picture – screencapped today while the house heard statements on cuts to mental health services – makes for such a dismal visual.

This is the Dail right now for mental Health debate. Remember this view if we have another election #IAmAReason pic.twitter.com/zVNPk9zp7X

— Niall Breslin (@nbrez) April 26, 2016

Some members of the Dáil even took to Twitter to lambast their own colleagues.

I'm in chamber currently, turnout isn't good enough. No more than 3 from any party. 0 Soc Dems now, 0 Labour, 1 SF.. https://t.co/YZY4HiB8rg

— Noel Rock (@NoelRock) April 26, 2016

Activists, meanwhile, are asking the public to enquire with their local TDs as to whether or not they were in attendance:

contact details for your TDs here, ask them if they took part in today's #mentalhealth Dail debate https://t.co/fXEMFHGKxH @nbrez #iamreason

— Ruairí McKiernan (@ruairimckiernan) April 26, 2016

As Bressie says: Remember this view if we have another election. READ NEXT: Watch The Rubberbandits' Hilarious And Insightful Guide To Mental Health