Susan O'Keeffe (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I agree with Senator Bacik in respect of her comments on cycling. The Senator is a keen cyclist and perhaps she would come to County Sligo and avail of the facilities it has to offer to cyclists. In the past two to three years Sligo County Council has invested a great deal in order to encourage people to cycle there and this has made a remarkable difference. The Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Alan Kelly, visited Sligo in order to discuss issues relating to cycling, particularly moves to encourage primary school pupils to cycle. If we are to discuss this matter, then encouraging children to cycle should form part of the debate. We must ensure, as happens in the UK, children are taught how to cycle safely. I expect the reason they are not taught this aspect of road safety here is due to the availability of resources. In the context of the effect it can have on obesity, people's health, etc., cycling should be promoted.

I wish to thank an organisation, Talkaboutit.ie, which is based in Mayo and the work of which relates to ensuring that suicide is discussed in the public domain. I encountered a number of people who work for this organisation in a field in Ballintogher, County Sligo, last weekend and they were surrounded by sheep, cattle and hens. In a very ordinary way, they were engaging in a remarkable exercise, namely, being normal about suicide. They were there to raise awareness of suicide among people who were out and about buying things and enjoying the countryside in a very ordinary way. I pay tribute to them for their efforts. While there has been a great deal of discussion of suicide in the House during the past year, I am of the view that we have taken our foot off the pedal in respect of it. Perhaps in September we could discuss this matter - even in the absence of a Minister - in order to assess what resources we might have to offer in respect of it. We have taken our eye off the ball. There are 60 Members of this House and we must assist in raising awareness with regard to suicide. We cannot do enough in respect of this matter. The people I met last Saturday are operating on a voluntary basis. They were working out of a tent, in stifling heat, at the annual Ballintogher village fair and were due to head off to another festival on the following day. Surely there is something the 60 Members of this House can do to assist the efforts of this organisation and the many others like it. I pay tribute to those to whom I refer.