Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 229: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the number of mental health promotional officers involved in the health service. [24157/04]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The National Health Promotion Strategy 2000-2005 recognises that mental health is equally important as physical health to the overall well being of a person and poor mental health has a significant impact on a person's quality of life and their contribution to society. For that reason, mental health is a resource that needs to be protected and promoted.

Mental health promotion targets the whole population and focuses on the protective factors for enhancing well being and quality of life, together with early intervention and prevention of mental health problems. The goal of mental health promotion is the enhancement of potential, building psychological strengths and resilience rather than focusing on reducing disorders. This approach is, therefore, much more concerned with the process of enabling and achieving positive mental health and enhancing quality of life for the general population. It is also important to note that mental health promotion is integral to most health promotion initiatives and programmes as diverse as promoting physical activity, being smoke free, and supporting breastfeeding contain substantial elements for the promotion of positive mental health.

To support the ongoing promotion of positive mental health among the population, the following personnel resources have been made available. Suicide resource officers have been appointed in all the health boards with specific responsibility for implementing the national task force on suicide's recommendations. The following health boards have, within their health promotion departments, specially designated mental health promotion officers: Southern Health Board; North Eastern Health Board; North Western Health Board; Northern Area Health Board; East Coast Area Health Board; and South Western Health Board.

In recognition of the role played by the voluntary sector and the importance of fostering close links between the health services and voluntary organisations, each health board area has a development officer who liaises between the statutory health services and the local mental health associations to provide an integrated and comprehensive service.