Dáil debates
Thursday, 9 November 2006
Dormant Accounts Fund.
4:00 pm
Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
Funding to assist suicide prevention initiatives is one of the priority measures approved by the Government for support from the dormant accounts fund in 2006. Details concerning the allocation of almost €1 million from the dormant accounts fund to support 20 suicide prevention projects were announced on 23 October 2006.
The key objective of this funding measure is to provide interventions and supports to strengthen community-based initiatives, particularly those targeting young men under 35 years of age. The intention of the funding is to support locally-based initiatives that deal with suicide prevention. The projects approved are varied and include the provision of early intervention measures for those at risk and also the provision of services for those bereaved through suicide. Details of the projects, including the grants approved and the specific actions proposed, have been provided as an appendix to this reply.
The lead Department for this funding measure is the Department of Health and Children. We engaged an agency to administer the application and assessment process. In total, 125 applications were received in response to a public invitation. In accordance with section 44(1) of the Dormant Accounts Acts 2001 to 2005, all applications were evaluated against criteria which were published. An inter-departmental committee considered the recommendations and approved them.
While the dormant accounts fund comes within my Department's remit, the lead Department in the distribution of these funds is the Department of Health and Children. Accordingly, the funding for the approved projects will be channelled through that Department's Vote. The question of further funding from dormant accounts to support suicide prevention initiatives will be a matter to be considered by the Government in the Minister's annual submission of proposals under section 43 of the Dormant Accounts Acts. Mainstream funding to support suicide prevention initiatives is a matter for the Minister for Health and Children.
| Social and Economic Disadvantage Category | |||
| Funding Measure — Suicide Prevention | |||
| Name of Group | Location | Purpose of Funding | Grant Amount |
| € | |||
| CONSOLE | Drumcondra, Dublin 9 | To provide professional counselling and support service to those bereaved through suicide and those who are suicidal in Clondalkin area. | 77,500.00 |
| Suicide Network Ballymun | Ballymun, Dublin 9 | To carry out suicide intervention skills workshop in Ballymun and to compile a local directory of services around mental health promotion. | 16,300.00 |
| TEAM Educational Theatre Company | Dublin 1 | To explore the issue of suicide within the context of a play which is scheduled to run in secondary schools over 8 weeks in Autumn 2006. | 27,470.00 |
| Roscommon Lions Club | Co. Roscommon | Provision of suicide awareness training and public awareness programme. Production of magazine promoting positive mental health. | 55,600.00 |
| Community Creations | Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal | To promote an awareness and outreach project in the North West with regard to mental health needs. | 50,000.00 |
| Ballymun Arts and Community Resource Centre | Dublin 9 | To fund dance workshops with specialist teachers trained in suicide prevention measures. Workshops to be part of transition year curriculum in local college. | 40,200.00 |
| Awareness Education Office | Dublin 7 | To fund a new youth suicide prevention programme which concentrates on self worth and self-appreciation. | 46,000.00 |
| Limerick Mental Health Association | Co. Limerick | To renovate and refurbish a premises in Limerick city as a permanent base for Le Chéile which provides services for those with coping difficulties. | 50,000.00 |
| S.T.E.E.R Ireland | Co. Donegal | To develop a Recovery Guide programme which provides emotional, psychological and technical support to those at risk and bereaved families. | 73,700.00 |
| Finn Valley Alliance for Positive Mental Health | Co. Donegal | To recruit a co-ordinator to work with students and teachers locally on suicide prevention and awareness issues. | 84,264.00 |
| Rehabcare | Dublin 4 | To deliver lifeskills/life coaching programme with a specific focus on suicide prevention. | 73,040.00 |
| Families of Beara Support Group | Co. Cork | To develop a counselling room in Adrigole for counselling and support services. | 55,540.00 |
| Dundalk Counselling Centre | Co. Louth | To provide a range of counselling services in relation to suicide prevention including one-to-one counselling sessions with trained staff. | 34,320.00 |
| Blue Drum — The Arts Specialist Support Agency | Dublin 17 | To work creatively with 6 community groups in Dublin city to explore suicidal behaviour among clients and the wider community. | 56,945.00 |
| Kerry Adolescent Counselling Service | Co. Kerry | To implement a comprehensive Suicide Prevention Programme to second year students in the more remote areas of Co. Kerry. | 73,290.00 |
| Forever Fathers | Co. Donegal | To produce a series of psychodrama workshops to teach suicide intervention skills to young men. | 13,000.00 |
| Living Life Voluntary Counselling Centre Ltd | Co. Wicklow | Recruitment of a part-time suicide counsellor servicing centres in Bray, Dún Laoghaire and Arklow. | 49,500.00 |
| County Wexford Partnership | Co. Wexford | To pilot a professional stress helpline for Co. Wexford which will act as an early intervention measure. | 45,000.00 |
| National Learning Network | Co. Cork | To facilitate the delivery of the Peer Support Education Programme to young people in the Cork/Kerry region. | 37,620.00 |
| Smashing Times Theatre Company | Dublin 7 | To promote positive mental health and to raise suicide awareness through participative drama workshops and professional theatre performance. | 40,600.00 |
| Total Recommended Allocation | 999,889.00 |
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