Joan Freeman (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to respond to Senator Catherine Noone's input regarding the fall in suicide rates. The Government should immediately acknowledge that the suicide rates have fallen owing to the efforts of at least 500 charities that have suicide prevention and intervention programmes. The Senator suggested using a new model from Michigan that is supposed to decrease the rates of suicide further, but I wonder if she knows that those aged between 16 and 18 years are not catered for in this country? If a 16-year-old child goes to the emergency department in one of the children's hospitals, he or she will be turned away as they are deemed to be too old to be seen. If he or she goes an adult hospital in distress, he or she will be turned away as he or she is not regarded as an adult. Where do such children go? Before we think of any model, let us get the HSE's services to embrace these children, among whom the rate of suicide is the fourth highest in Europe.