John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 215: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the plan of action or awareness campaign being undertaken by the HSE in the south east relative to the high level of suicides; the number of reported suicides in this region on a county basis each year for the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13334/05]

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
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The Health Act 2004 provided for the Health Service Executive which was established on 1 January 2005. Under the Act, the executive has the responsibility to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. This includes the provision of suicide prevention programmes. Accordingly, my Department has requested the chief officer for the Health Service Executive's south eastern area to reply directly to the Deputy in this matter.

As the Deputy may be aware, work is now well under way on the preparation of a national strategy for action on suicide prevention. This strategy, involving the project management unit of the Health Service Executive in partnership with the national suicide review group and supported by the Department of Health and Children will be action-based from the outset and will build on existing policy. All measures aimed at reducing the number of deaths by suicide will be considered in the context of the preparation of this strategy which will be published later this year.

The number of deaths by suicide in each county in the south east region for the years 1999 to 2003, as requested by the Deputy, are as follows: