Suicide prevention measures
Michael Healy-Rae asks whether suicide prevention will receive an effort comparable to road safety; the Taoiseach outlines existing mental-health and counselling measures and stresses better coordination.
With regard to the great work of the Road Safety Authority over the past number of years, does the Government have proposals to make the same effort in the prevention of suicide as it makes for road safety? Are there proposals in this respect? It is very important. Is it contained in any promised legislation? Can the Taoiseach provide clarity? In other words, will the Government put the same effort into prevention of suicide as it put into road safety?
Comment on this
No, but the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, is doing an enormous range of activities in suicide prevention, counselling, psychological care and the employment of personnel in the mental health area with the moneys allocated and ring-fenced for the purpose. It is a valid question. There is an enormous amount of information, help and assistance but it needs to be co-ordinated. When a tragic incident occurs in a parish or town, another group tends to be set up. The challenge is to co-ordinate the information, the symptoms, the signs and the counselling and assistance available. That is what the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, is trying to do.