Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Workers and Unemployed Action Group)

I congratulate the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health services on her appointment and wish her well in her new office.

I agree with previous speakers about the effects suicide has had on families throughout the country. I sympathise with the families and relatives who have been through this experience. Unfortunately, many families have had experience of suicide over the past number of years. Some families would have been aware of mental health difficulties but others have seen suicide occur almost out of the blue. It is a very important problem to be dealt with as it is a matter of real concern for many people in our community.

I thank the many voluntary organisations working in this area, such as the mental health organisation, GROW, Aware and others. There are also many local organisations who are doing exceptional work on this issue on behalf of families and persons with mental health difficulties. As Deputy Collins said, funding is undoubtedly a serious issue for many of these organisations. According to today's newspapers, an organisation in Wicklow has indicated that unless its funding can be re-established it might have to close an important and energetic service it has been providing for many years.

Like other Deputies, I regularly encounter people at my clinics who are experiencing unemployment for the first time. These are people whose families have no history of unemployment. It can be hugely distressing for people to find themselves in that situation. I have met people at my clinics who are completely frustrated, distressed and simply do not know what to do. They have always worked, either in good jobs or in self-employment, and suddenly find that they are dependent on the social welfare or community welfare services. It is distressing and frustrating for them that they are unable to look after themselves or their families. The problem of unemployment must be tackled. If it is, it would deal with at least one aspect of the suicide issue.

Another matter dealt with by Deputy Collins is young children with special needs and the difficulties they have. Unfortunately, it appears that the special needs area is being targeted for cuts in the education sector. Again, if this is allowed to progress, a growth in the suicide figures will become evident. Obviously, where young people are already experiencing difficulties in a school, social or family setting, those difficulties must be dealt with early or a situation will develop later that will give rise to many social ills, including suicide.

The number of suicides in the past number of years is a cause of concern. It opens our eyes and certainly suggests the issue must be dealt with seriously and tackled on an immediate and ongoing basis. There were 527 suicides in 2009. It is a terrifying figure. The breakdown of the figures shows that substantially more men than women take their own lives, with the rate for young men being significantly higher than that for young women. Young men in the 20 to 24 year old age group are particularly affected.

Implementation of the A Vision for Change document is hugely important in dealing with the issue of suicide. Certainly, the development of community-based services is vital to ensure that services are available on a family and local basis, and not just through the HSE but also through local community and voluntary organisations. Some people who have mental health issues prefer to deal with non-statutory organisations. The implementation of the community-based services proposed in A Vision for Change is very important.

As Deputy Collins said, there are huge resources available to be tapped. Numerous reports have suggested that approximately €250 billion in assets are in the hands of a small number of very wealthy people in this country. There is no assets tax on those assets. If those assets were targeted, there would be huge amounts of money available to deal not only with suicide, but also many other issues.

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