Dan Neville (Limerick, Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister for her response. It is important the work of the suicide resource officers who are allocated to the former health board areas should come under the auspices of the National Office for Suicide Prevention. It is vital their work, which also includes suicide bereavement and promoting good mental health, is co-ordinated with the office. We have the fourth highest suicide rate in Europe after Lithuania, Finland and Estonia. We have a very serious youth suicide problem. We require a programme headed by a person at the level of assistant national director. The Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, promised that a national director of mental health would be appointed to oversee mental health services. The appointment must be made immediately. I have expressed my repeated concern on the allocation of the €35 million to ensure the objectives of the Government and those outlined in A Vision for Change are implemented according to the will of the Government and best practice. The appointment of the director is vital, as is the appointment of the director of the National Office for Suicide Prevention.

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