Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP) was established within the HSE in 2005 to drive the implementation of national policy on suicide reduction. As with all HSE services, engagement between the Department and NOSP continues on a regular basis.

NOSP is responsible for implementation of Connecting for Life, Ireland’s National Strategy to Reduce Suicide 2015-2024. The strategy mandates NOSP to support, inform, coordinate and monitor the implementation of Connecting for Lifeacross the HSE, government departments, statutory agencies and non-governmental organisations. This is overseen by a Cross-Sectoral Implementation and Monitoring Steering Group, chaired by the Department of Health at Assistant Secretary level. NOSP reports to the Steering Group through its quarterly meetings. To support the Steering Group, the Department, Chair and NOSP regularly liaise in preparation for the meetings and to update on implementation of the Strategy.

In addition, NOSP provides regular briefs on mental health and suicide related issues, including through its Annual Reports and bi-annual report on CSO suicide statistics. NOSP supports the Department and its Ministers in reporting on its activities to the Oireachtas as required. Minister Butler most recently met with NOSP on 22nd June to discuss issues relevant to the work of NOSP.

NOSP’s annual budget is around €13 million, of which over 50% is given in grants to national organisations and frontline services working in the area of suicide prevention and mental health promotion. NOSP is also responsible for delivery of national suicide awareness training programmes, which is available to Departmental staff through engagement with NOSP’s Education and Training unit.

NOSP was represented on the Oversight Group, which provided a report to the Department of Health setting out current and future service priorities for consideration by government in the development of the current national mental health policy, Sharing the Vision.