Mary White (Fianna Fail)

I would like the Leader to ask the Minister for Health and Children to come to the Seanad as a matter of urgency for a debate on how the HSE will address the issues of suicide and self-harm. Today's Irish Examiner publishes the results of a survey of people between the ages of 15 and 19, which was conducted by the newspaper in conjunction with RTE. Half of those surveyed said that they know people in their own age group who have died from suicide, or have attempted suicide. I am seriously concerned that the HSE is not giving the issue of suicide the priority it deserves. On average, 500 people die from suicide every year. A further 11,000 people present to accident and emergency departments having tried to kill themselves. The National Suicide Research Foundation claims that 60,000 people harm themselves each year. I am concerned that the serious recession we are entering——