Caít Keane (Fine Gael)

The Clondalkin community action on suicide group, from my area, which has left was welcome. It has done massive work, as has Deputy Derek Keating and Deputy Dan Neville who spearheaded the issue, when people were not as vocal. I mention, in particular, John Quinn from Clondalkin, who was awarded the equivalent of the Dragons' Den in the business section, which was shown on RTÉ television recently. He spoke out recently at his son's funeral as nine people in Clondalkin had committed suicide in 2005. He just said, "I am here, if there is anybody who wants to talk to me". Since then his service in a voluntary capacity has mushroomed and has been recognised in the media.

The Minister has heard of groups such as Clondalkin community action on suicide group and John Quinn who are giving massive support and should be given the support. All speakers mentioned the voluntary groups who get up and go and do something. The Minister of State listed all the supports that are available in a national capacity but some are only in pilot project areas. The voluntary groups must be supported.

I welcome the work done in the primary care area of moving people out of institutions into care in the community. A Vision for Change, introduced in 2006, contains many excellent recommendations but implementation is slow. The Minister of State said she had reactivated a group which is trying to put an implementation strategy in place. Much is being done and much has been done.

The stigma associated with suicide must be recognised. The stigma is being lifted by the debate but some of the media coverage of the debate may not be helpful. We have heard of copycat suicides and how it is dealt with. How we lift the stigma on suicide is important.

I spoke earlier about the importance of education, including physical education. Education on suicide prevention is most important. Not everybody is happy all the time. I am sure everybody in this room has days on which he or she feels down. It is a question of learning how to cope with not feeling 100%. If the message on how to cope got out to young people in particular, it would be beneficial. One cannot be happy all the time. It is a question of being resilient and having the tools to deal with feeling down.

Senators mentioned the economic circumstances and stated a 1% increase in the rate of unemployment leads to a 0.79% increase in the suicide rate. Senator Gilroy mentioned the lack of serious statistics. The recommendation in this regard must be taken seriously. Statistics are one thing but it is a matter of how they are interpreted. Those who try to commit suicide and do not succeed should be included in the statistics on suicide but they comprise a separate body. The independent directorate for mental health about which the Minister, Deputy Reilly spoke, ought to be welcomed because it will participate in focused implementation.

Most Senators referred to loneliness. The buddy system in place in some areas should be considered in this regard. I refer to the old days when people were more supportive of one another. When there was visiting and card playing and when society was less formally organised, people were socially interconnected. This must be considered. We must ask what people can do for themselves and their communities and not ask all the time what the Government can do for them. This could involve dropping in on people and chatting with them, as Senator Moloney said. I refer specifically to young people because we see the trend in respect thereof.

When the Minister is examining this matter, the difference between the biomedical and psychosocial models must be examined. As I stated, community care and working on the ground are the way to go. There should be places where young people can drop in. Some have been opened. Local councils in various areas have what are called coffee bars for young people. There is somebody to whom one can turn.

The old church view that suicide was a mortal sin did nothing at all for suicide prevention. This led to the great stigma. People did not admit that individuals committed suicide and claimed they died for some other reason. I am thankful the stigma in this regard is gone. The modern approach of the church to suicide is similar to that proposed by St. Augustine in the fourth century in that it involves responding with compassion, love and pastoral care.

We could have a debate on the ethos in schools and the separation of church and state. Religious belief is important to some in dealing with suicide and should not be discounted at all. People find it important but it should not be interlinked with education. Religious belief, whether it involves meditation or religion, is a separate, personal issue. I heard Mary McEvoy state on television how Buddhism brought her back from depression. Our ambit should be broader than a medical one; it is the psychosocial model that we should be looking at. I recommend it to the Minister.