Mary Moran (Labour)

Recent courses organised by SafeTALK highlight the need for more help to encourage men to speak about depression and to seek help for their condition. It is widely recognised that men are more reluctant to speak about being depressed. This was highlighted at a course I recently attended through the use of video.

A recent newspaper article revealed that a study undertaken by the National Suicide Research Foundation in Cork found that 80% of suicide victims had been in touch with their GPs in the year prior to their suicide. It is sad that these people sought help but did not get it when they needed it. Our first port of call when anything is wrong is always the GP. I agree with Senator Gilroy and others that more training and suicide awareness among GPs is urgently needed. I would go further and ask that more training be provided to all health and community workers countrywide in an effort to reduce the incidence of suicide.

In the six years between 2003 and 2009, 75,119 people presented at emergency departments throughout the country following deliberate self harm. The National Registry of Deliberate Self Harm also reported that people who have deliberately self harmed are 30 to 50 times more likely to commit suicide. I ask that the Leader invite the Minister for Health to the House for a debate on suicide and, more important, on encouraging people to implement suicide awareness training for community and health workers.