Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Health if he will report on the appointment of the Director of the National Suicide Office and the key aims of the agency for the coming year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5219/13]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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A new Director of the National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP) was appointed in November 2012. The role of the Office is to oversee the implementation of Reach Out, our National Strategy for Action on Suicide Prevention. The key functions of NOSP include the coordination of the implementation of Reach Out, the commissioning of research into suicidal behaviour in Ireland to develop evidence based policy and interventions, the development and implementation of information and education campaigns to increase awareness of mental health and suicide prevention and liaising with the media to ensure responsible reporting of suicidal behaviour in Ireland.

The annual budget for suicide prevention increased this year to over €13m, with €8.1m available to NOSP to fund voluntary and statutory agencies delivering services in the area of prevention, intervention, postvention and research and the remaining €5m available regionally to fund Resource Officers for Suicide Prevention, Self-Harm Liaison Nurses in Hospital Emergency Departments and local suicide prevention initiatives.

The Department is currently in discussions with the National Office to develop a programme of measures that will reduce the tragic loss of life through suicide. Priority initiatives identified for this year include:

- The further development of existing National Mental Health Awareness campaigns to promote help seeking.

- Increased training for GPs and practice staff - GP training is seen to be one of most effective interventions in suicide prevention.

- Building the capacity of communities to respond to suicide.

- Implementation of the clinical care programme for self harm. This will include the funding of nursing posts within Hospital Emergency Departments, training of acute hospital staff on suicide and self harm intervention and the development of the SCAN (Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurse) model which allows for crisis interventions at primary care.

- Investment in voluntary agencies providing frontline services.