Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important motion on the issue of mental health. While mental health problems manifest themselves in many ways, suicide is the most dramatic expression of them. Suicide rates in Ireland, particularly in this State, have been increasing steadily over the years. Perhaps the most alarming aspect of this trend is the increase in the number of young people taking their own lives. In 2013, this State had the highest rate of suicide among young women under the age of 19 in the entire EU. We had the second highest rate of suicide among young men in the same age group. It is striking that more than twice as many young men as young women choose to end their lives in this way. This should be a matter of real concern. It is clear that this serious issue - the mental health of young people - needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency. To that end, our motion recommends that the continuing practice of admitting children to adult psychiatric units should be ended as a priority under the national strategic framework for suicide prevention.

The issue of mental health awareness among young people must also be addressed.

Another worrying factor that has emerged in recent years is the high rate of suicide among men living in rural communities. To their credit, the GAA, Irish Farmers Association and others have sought to address this, but it is clear that many of the changes implemented for economic and financial reasons have contributed to the type of isolation that can cause mental health problems, which in some cases leads the person affected to take their own life. Isolation is fundamentally caused by people living on their own, particularly in rural areas, but cutbacks in public services such as transport, policing and rural post offices have contributed to cutting people off from regular contact with others. In addition, hundreds of thousands of people are in negative equity and struggling to meet their mortgage repayments and other debts. Too many people are teetering on the edge on a daily basis, wondering how to break out of the trap in which they have found themselves. Many elderly people living in rural areas feel very isolated and vulnerable to being targeted by violent criminals, which is a significant source of stress.

My own county of Laois, which has a higher than average rural population, had the seventh highest rate of suicide in the State between 2008 and 2010. Sixty-one people took their lives in the county between 2000 and 2009. In fact, more people died by suicide in that period than died in road accidents. Our neighbouring county of Offaly had the highest rate of suicide in those years. In Portlaoise, which is close to my own home, in one relatively small housing estate there were two suicides and one attempted suicide in the space of a few weeks. Of course, not every case of death by suicide is recorded as such, so the figures could well be higher. Urban areas have the lowest rates of suicides, which suggests that living in rural isolation is a significant factor contributing to suicide. However, urban working class areas of Dublin city and Cork city have higher rates than those applying generally to those counties.

Another issue of concern is the suicide rate among the Traveller population. Yesterday I had the privilege of speaking at the annual conference of the Irish Traveller Movement, where participants heard that suicide and issues of mental health generally are of real concern within that community. A 2011 UCC study showed that suicide rates within the Traveller community are six times that of the settled community and accounted for 11% of all suicides. These are alarming statistics which cannot be ignored. Without wishing to be too cynical, the fact that Travellers traditionally have not voted in elections might account for why this issue has not been given the priority it merits. They are now voting in increasing numbers, but even if that were not the case, this is a need that must be addressed. I am aware that some good work is being done in this area, but it needs to be ramped up and a programme of action put in place by Government.

Community-based programmes to tackle suicide such as those run by GROW and Pieta House are doing an excellent job of raising awareness and responding to the needs of those people with whom they come in contact. However, despite the great efforts of those involved, such initiatives can only hope to skim the surface of the problem. As our motion states, the mental health of our citizens and measures to prevent suicide are the responsibility of the State. Families and communities have a responsibility in this regard, of course, but it is primarily a matter for the State to ramp up its efforts in this area. The figures in regard to the services available and the shortage of staff have been well highlighted and I will not reiterate them. I welcome the all-party support for the motion. As somebody who has had to deal with this issue twice within my extended family, I urge the Minister of his State and his colleagues to give this issue the attention and priority it deserves.

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