565. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health to urgently review the critical position of a local suicide prevention service and ensure relevant engagement is progressed with officials within the HSE (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39906/24]

As the Deputy will be aware, the HSE has statutory responsibility for the planning and delivery of health services at local level, including those for Mental Health. The Department of Health does not directly fund the type of organisation referred to by the Deputy in his Question.

Under Section 39 of the Health Act 2004, the HSE may support any person or body that provides or proposes to provide a service similar or ancillary to a service that the HSE may provide. It is my understanding that the organisation in question made an application for section 39 funding to the HSE. It is a therefore a matter for the HSE to make a decision in relation to this funding request. This would take account of all relevant factors including , for example, existing HSE services and how a proposal made by any organisation aligns with local HSE service priorities; Governance arrangements, Quality and Safety, resource limitation or many other matters.

I will ensure that the correspondence is brought to the attention of the HSE.