Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

From that point of view the report by the Men's Health Forum in Ireland, published today by the Minister of State, Deputy Lynch, will indicate unfortunately that the suicide rate in Ireland is one of the highest in Europe for young males between 20 and 24 years of age and females aged between 50 and 54. The latest data show 552 people committed suicide in Ireland in 2009, the year for which the latest figures are available. The allocation of the ring-fenced €35 million for 2012 was used primarily to strengthen the community mental health teams in adult and children mental health services. Some of these funds will be used to advance further suicide prevention measures and to initiate the provision of psychological and counselling services in primary care, particularly for people with mental health problems. The announcement in the budget for 2013 of a further €35 million for the continued development of our mental health services is important and means the recruitment of 470 additional staff to implement these measures. It is not always about this. The young generation gets its information in a very different way than Deputy Boyd Barrett or I did when we were growing up. There are always different pressures on young minds. This is a sad fact. This is an issue for which there is now a huge range of organisations, groups, teams and agencies working. The Minister of State, Deputy Lynch, wishes to concentrate on having very effective connection with young people so this issue, which is so tragic, can be prevented. I am able to inform the House the National Office for Suicide Prevention has implemented most of the recommendations in the strategy in a four-way approach through delivering a general population approach to mental health promotion and suicide prevention; using targeted programmes for people at high risk; delivering services to individuals who have engaged in deliberate self harm; and providing support to families and communities bereaved by suicide.

I agree with Deputy Boyd Barrett from the perspective that 26 million people are unemployed in the European Union and 29% of young people in Ireland are unemployed while the figure in Germany and Austria is 3%. Part of the EU Presidency priorities for the Government will be to work specifically in the area of youth employment and opportunities for young people. We all agree and understand they are the future of this country and of the European Union. The challenge for the Government is to get decisions made in the first instance which will allow indigenous confidence to come back, whereby young people can see motivation and opportunity and are given a demonstration that hope is not just an aspiration and that it can come by the people and the Government working together here and with their European colleagues to provide these opportunities.

In recent months I have met many people who are driven by an opportunity that presents itself. I see signs of confidence returning and the news from our colleagues in Europe in recent days, as the Minister, Deputy Noonan, pointed out is significant but not a game changer. We must help create this game changer ourselves.

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