Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 176: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her views on whether reductions to the mental health budget, both current and in budget 2010, are reasonable and fair; her further views on whether further cuts will be made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39459/09]

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 177: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the ongoing tragedy of suicide here; her views on whether further cuts in the health budget and particularly in the budget for mental health will exacerbate this tragedy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39460/09]

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 176 and 177 together.

Planned expenditure levels for my Department will be considered as part of the Estimates and budgetary process for 2010. Deliberations by Government on the expenditure allocations for next year are likely to continue up until Budget time and it would not be appropriate for me to comment further at this stage pending the outcome of these deliberative processes.

'Reach Out' – A National Strategy for Action on Suicide Prevention, sets out a policy framework for suicide prevention. The HSE, through the National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP), oversees implementation of the strategy. Initiatives which have been progressed by the NOSP include developing and implementing national training programmes, the development of a training strategy under the direction of a Training and Development Officer, progressing the availability of self-harm services through Hospital Emergency departments, implementing recommendations arising from a review of bereavement services, dedicated suicide resource officers, the provision of funding to the National Suicide Research Foundation (NSRF), supporting voluntary organisations working in the field of suicide prevention and developing mental health awareness campaigns.

In addition to the €8m available to the HSE for suicide prevention initiatives, once-off funding of €1m was provided in 2009 to further develop services for those bereaved by suicide and to develop an information and awareness campaign aimed at young people. The campaign was launched in October.