Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I know they are. Let me give my opinion because I wish to put my frustration on record. In 2011, I made my maiden speech to the Dáil on the issue of suicide.

I lost six close friends over many years for different reasons. While some of them may never have been saved, the questions I want to ask today concern access to service. When somebody confides in a community leader, whether it is a chairperson of a GAA club or a Foróige leader, to where do those people turn to give that young person access to the supports and the services he or she so badly needs? I do not see it. I am very frustrated. I know that a large amount of money is being spent on mental health services but we are not using it efficiently.

I want to focus on primary care. The general practitioner's practice is already a very busy environment and it can be hard to get an appointment. How can a resource be put into primary care to support the GPs and the practice nurses when a patient presents? If a local volunteer is struggling to deal with a young person with suicidal ideation, possibly over the weekend, how do such people access the service or refer someone? How can we specifically put a resource in there to assist those people? These are the resources and the supports we need. We can talk all day and all night but how can it be put in place at the coalface in order that people can access the services the witnesses provide and then try to link in and cross-cut the various Departments and supports?