Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 41: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason there is no increase in funding the national suicide prevention office to facilitate the implementation of the report of the national strategy on suicide prevention entitled Reach Out. [15470/08]

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 148: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason additional funding has not been allocated in 2008 to the National Office for Suicide Prevention to enable the setting up of new suicide prevention services in counties such as County Kildare. [16112/08]

Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 41 and 148 together.

Since the establishment of the HSE's National Office for Suicide Prevention in 2005, additional funding of €3.05 million has been provided for the implementation of 'Reach Out' — the National Strategy for Action on Suicide Prevention, 2005-2014. This brought the total funding available to support suicide prevention initiatives to €8 million and this level of funding continues into 2008.

It should also be emphasised that a range of services such as mental health and primary care services are important in helping to prevent suicide. These services play a vital role in the drive to reduce the incidence of suicide, and should be taken into account when considering the level of expenditure devoted to suicide prevention.