Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I welcome the report of the Oireachtas committee and the continuing focus of Members on the high level of suicide in society. This is a serious issue and it ranks with the appalling toll of deaths on our roads as the leading cause of deaths of young people and as a source of terrible grief for individuals, families and entire communities.

There is widespread concern and a greater awareness of the scale and depth of this problem. However, it is sad that this has not been reflected in concerted and effective action by the Government. That much is clear from the committee's report, which is to be commended for outlining the situation in factual and blunt terms. In his opening address, the Minister of State avoided these criticisms.

The report is especially critical of the state of our mental health services. It points out that people with mental illness are known to be at greater risk of death by suicide but "the type of mental health service one can access is a matter of luck". That is a terrible indictment. It states that funding for mental health services is "allocated in a random manner with scant regard for need". Perhaps most damning of all in the context of suicide, the report asserts that "the provision of mental health services for adolescents is high on aspiration but low on action". All of these findings by the joint committee must be taken on board by the Government. What is required is not aspiration, but action. The findings represent a severe indictment of the State's management of our health services, as is the conclusion that despite 11,000 admissions per annum to accident and emergency departments following suicidal behaviour, we have not yet put swift and appropriate standardised interventions in place to treat this high risk group and thus reduce repeat acts.

I welcome the target set by the report to reduce the overall suicide rate by 20% by the year 2016. I also welcome the detailed and costed recommendations for action. This is the most important element of the report and I urge the Government to act swiftly and comprehensively to implement these constructive proposals.

There is a particular focus on our education system in the recommendations and a range of measures is proposed. We need to see this problem in the overall context of an education system at second level which places enormous pressure on students. Children are going from a progressive, child-centred, primary education system into secondary schools where an exam-driven pressure cooker environment is the order of the day. Along with the natural personal and family pressures faced by adolescents, they face the social challenge of their peers and the educational challenge of a highly competitive leaving certificate which is driven by the scramble for places in third level education. This occurs in a consumer society in which young people are increasingly being judged by how they look, what they wear and what they possess. Anti-social behaviour and bullying in our schools are very serious and growing problems. To be in any way troubled as a young person in this context is to be open to the risk of mental illness, self-harm and ultimately suicide. We must address all of this with the full participation of young people themselves.

Sinn Féin has identified suicide as a distinct priority requiring concerted co-operation between the Government, the health services, the voluntary sector and communities. Our youth section, Ógra Sinn Féin, has campaigned on this issue. We have also included suicide prevention as a key element in our policy document entitled, Healthcare in an Ireland of Equals.

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