Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, has asked me to convey his sincere apologies that he could not take this Topical Issue matter as he is currently on official Government business in Finland. Before I read out the prepared note, this is an issue in which I have a personal interest. I think the Deputy knows that. When I read out the note, therefore, I agree with what is being stated and I am not just reading. It is important that I state that on a personal level. It is not the case that because we are in separate Departments that we do not have empathy with issues such as this.

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. Any loss of life to suicide is a tragedy, and my deepest condolences go out to the families and friends affected by suicide. Every suicide affects not just family and friends, but the community itself. It is important to ensure that strong supports are in place to help family, friends and the community to deal with this tragedy. I understand that the HSE, as recently as Monday this week, met locals in the Ballyfermot area who had expressed concern. It was agreed to provide additional support people in the area whom it was felt they needed to link in with mental health services.

Tackling suicide in all areas of Ireland is a priority for the Government. Connecting for life, CFL, is Ireland's national strategy to reduce suicide and will run until 2020. Reducing suicide requires a whole-of-Government approach, and in this regard, a cross-sectoral steering group was established to assist the National Office for Suicide Prevention, NOSP, in implementing CFL. The NOSP is part of the HSE and was specifically established to co-ordinate suicide prevention efforts around the country and to implement CFL. To support the NOSP, funding has been increased from €3.7 million in 2010 to the current level of €12 million. An additional €2.75 million was provided in 2015 for additional resource officers for suicide prevention and for priority actions under connecting for life.

Nationwide, the trend over the past number of years has been a reduction in the number of suicides. The work of the NOSP has helped to reduce that number from 495 in 2010 to 352 in 2018. The 2018 figures are provisional, and by their nature are subject to change, so they should be interpreted with caution at this time. A key part of the CFL strategy is the development of local CFL plans. All 17 of these plans have been launched, including the CFL Dublin South Suicide Prevention Action Plan 2018-2020, which was launched in February 2018.

In 2017, extensive consultation took place to develop this plan. This consultation process helped to identify key risks regarding suicide in the Dublin south area and associated service challenges. The action plan was developed in response to these identified risks and in line with the national CFL framework.

Implementation of the plan is being driven by one of three resource officers for suicide prevention across south Dublin, Kildare and west Wicklow. The plan, Connecting for Life - Dublin South, details 64 actions that are currently being implemented in the area with the aim of reducing the rate of suicide in south Dublin in line with national targets.

Throughout south Dublin there are several services targeted at the promotion of positive mental health and at addressing the needs of those experiencing mental health difficulties. These services include adult, adolescent and child specialist mental health services, suicide prevention supports and services and primary care and network services, including counselling in primary care.

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