Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The question is in two parts. In respect of staff numbers, of the 414 posts approved in budget 2012, 383 have been filled, are on offer or are awaiting clearance. Progress is being made on the remainder. In budget 2013 a further €35 million was allocated for the development of mental health services. This includes the recruitment of 477 additional staff to implement these measures. I understand the HSE is making arrangements to commence the recruitment process very soon.

I welcome the Suicide in Ireland survey which was published on Monday. It is certainly a very welcome contribution to the debate on suicide. Some of the funding to which I referred will be used to advance further suicide prevention initiatives and initiate the provision of psychological and counselling services at primary care level specifically for people with mental health problems. The Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, is committed to implementing the recommendations of the national strategy for action on suicide prevention. I am happy to be able to inform the House that the National Office for Suicide Prevention has implemented most of the recommendations in the strategy and reviewing its current activities to make the most of the available resources, including looking at best practice internationally.

Priority suicide prevention initiatives identified for this year include further development of existing national mental health awareness campaigns to promote help seeking, increased training for GPs and practice staff; building the capacity of communities to respond to suicide; implementation of the clinical care programme on self-harm which will include the funding of nursing posts within hospital emergency departments; training of acute hospital staff on suicide and self-harm intervention measures; the development of the SCAN model which allows for crisis interventions at primary care level; and continued investment in voluntary agencies providing services.

The annual budget for suicide prevention initiatives increased in 2012 to over €12 million. A total of €7.1 million is administered by the National Office for Suicide Prevention. This includes an additional €3 million from the special allocation for mental health services used to fund voluntary and statutory agencies delivering services in the areas of prevention, intervention and research. The remaining €5 million is available regionally to fund resource officers for suicide prevention, self-harm liaison nurses in hospital emergency departments and local suicide prevention initiatives. In 2013 a further €1 million is being provided for the National Office for Suicide Prevention, bringing the total available to over €8 million. A special programme of measures to further advance suicide prevention in 2013 is being developed and will be announced by the Minister of State.

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