Next Monday will see the launch of a new men's mental health programme in Baltinglass, County Wicklow. This is the Headsup programme. Headsup is an evidence-based mental health education and training programme for men who are finding life stressful, have issues with unemployment, feel isolated or lonely and who wish to learn ways to improve their well-being. Headsup gives men the opportunity to build their mental health and physical fitness, while developing their ability to make connections, set goals and develop a life plan to get back on track. In an era of increasing rural isolation, mental health issues are often cited as particularly acute. I see this myself at first hand. This is also evidenced by the high suicide rate among men. For example, CSO data recently showed that of 449 people who died by suicide, 80% of those were men, which is 359. Will the Minister of State outline what measures contained in the programme for Government would support and complement the important work that begins next week in west Wicklow?

I thank the Deputy for raising this important question about mental health, especially men's mental health. He is absolutely right. Unfortunately, in 2022 we had 410 deaths by suicide and 80% of them were men. We have been looking at this very closely. We encourage people like the Headsup programme. We also encourage men to attend men's sheds and to be able to speak openly about their mental health challenges. One thing in the programme for Government is that I allocated €2 million specifically for counselling supports for men under the CIPC programme. Anybody with a doctor only card is not eligible to receive these counselling supports free of charge. What it means is that we are starting off with men specifically, because that is the area we are trying to reach. I am working closely with the Department on rolling out these counselling supports specifically for men. I commend the Deputy on his work on men's mental health.