Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this issue on the Adjournment. I very much appreciate the concern this is causing to the community in Carrick-on-Suir. There is an inherent complexity in seeking to tackle the issue of suicide, and support is required both for those who are considering taking their own lives and for those left behind after the death of a loved one. I accept that we are talking here about a small amount of money. However, if I were to accede to every request for funding from the ¤35 million allocated under the mental health budget, the money would be gone before it is ever drawn down. We had no choice but to be very rigid in terms of what we could do with it.

The Health Service Executive's regional suicide resource office in Waterford provides suicide prevention training programmes across the counties of Waterford, Wexford, Carlow, Kilkenny and south Tipperary. The principles underpinning the work of the resource office are to support local health offices through close collaboration with the local area teams in regard to issues pertaining to suicide and self-harm. The office also works closely with the various voluntary and community groups in the development of community-based initiatives aimed at increasing awareness of the issues associated with suicide and self-harming behaviour. Concerned About Suicide - a community education training programme, is one of 12 training programmes provided by the resource office. This programme is particularly supportive of communities in their efforts towards ameliorating the impact of suicide on the community at large.

It also provides essential training in supporting the at-risk individual and the suicide bereaved within that individual's community.

The training programme was delivered to 17 participants in Carrick-on-Suir in May. It recommenced at the Nano Nagle centre in Carrick-on-Suir in September. Unfortunately, because of the current budgetary position within the HSE, restrictions on staff travel were introduced and it was necessary to defer the remaining training until 2013. However, an offer to complete it at a venue in Waterford during 2012 was made to the community group by the HSE. To date, this offer has not been taken up. I suggest the Senator might inquire about the possibility of this happening, particularly as the programme has proved to be extremely beneficial.

The HSE's National Office for Suicide Prevention funds and co-ordinates a range of suicide prevention initiatives. It provides funding for 42 programmes run by 27 organisations such as Console, Samaritans, Pieta House to deliver services and support and directly respond to people in crisis and families bereaved through suicide. While the current economic environment presents a significant challenge for the health system generally in the delivery of services, mental health services are being treated as a priority by the Government. In that regard, consideration was given to the mental health sector in budget 2012 through a special allocation of ¤35 million for mental health services. Funding from this special allocation is primarily being used to enhance both general adult and child and adolescent community mental health teams, improve access to psychological therapies in primary care and implement suicide prevention strategies. It is intended that the additional resources will be rolled out in conjunction with a scheme of appropriate clinical care programmes and each mental health service has been asked to identify an experienced staff member from the community teams to take responsibility for those elements of the clinical programme which deal with suicide prevention and to undergo specific training to fulfil this function.

The challenge of suicide prevention is one of the most urgent facing society. I am confident that in working together we can maximise the impact of the suicide prevention and support network to ensure it reaches and responds effectively to those who are most vulnerable.