John Kelly (Labour)

I compliment the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, on her efforts in tackling this important issue. I agree with Senator Moloney on the role of rural isolation, a real bugbear of mine, in suicide. I have worked in my community for 28 years and have much evidence that this is a real issue. While drink-driving laws are welcome in bringing down road deaths, they can have a negative impact on the social lives of single men in rural areas, leading to further isolation.

I greatly dispute the accuracy of the official figure of 527 deaths recorded by suicide last year. Everyday, we read newspaper reports of fatal single car accidents involving an individual male passenger. We have no idea whether it was suicide or an accident. Conscientious coroners may want to protect a young person's family by declaring their death to be through misadventure rather than being more specific.

The Road Safety Authority has gone as far as it can possibly go. It has reduced road deaths to an all-time low and it will probably not get better. The move by the authority to award penalty points for a dirty windscreen is not positive. It is interesting that as road deaths are coming down, suicides in rural areas are going up. A balance needs to be struck but I believe we have gone past finding it.

Recently, when I visited my local community development office I noted the sheer number of advertisements on the wall from organisations such as Head Strong, Living Links, the Samaritans, One Light, Console, the National Office of Suicide Prevention, Aware, Grow, Child Line, Teen Line, and many more involved in mental health and suicide prevention. What is needed is one authority which will take on suicide prevention in the same way Noel Brett and the Road Safety Authority tackled road deaths head on. Noel Brett could branch into this area. I know his father was a community psychiatric nurse so he would have the expertise and back-up there. The Minister of State should consider establishing a dedicated authority to deal with suicide prevention.