Deputy Gerry Adams:

Sinn Féin produced a comprehensive, detailed document on root and branch political reform. Perhaps when the Taoiseach eventually gets around to meeting us on political reform, that might be on the clár of our cruinniú. Ba mhaith liom cheist a chur faoi reachtaíocht atá fógraithe. In the programme for Government there is a commitment to provide ring-fenced funding for mental health services to enable the roll-out of a suicide prevention strategy to reduce the high levels of suicide. I do not know if the Taoiseach is aware of the research published this morning that provides evidence of a direct link between economic crises and the increasing suicide rate. I refer to the question I asked during Leaders' Question which the Taoiseach did not answer. We have experienced the highest increase in the level of suicide since the crash of any EU member state. The research links this, particularly among young men, with the increasing rate of unemployment. Will the Taoiseach give the House an update on the implementation of the Government's suicide prevention strategy, the filling of the additional 477 posts for mental health services in 2013 and whether consideration has been given to having an all-Ireland suicide prevention strategy? He responded positively when I raised this issue previously because clearly this problem knows no borders.

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