Dan Neville
Question:148 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of people who died by suicide in the Travelling community. [18670/00]
Written Answers. - Suicide Incidence.
The death registration system is the principal source for statistical information on cause of death, including deaths from suicide. It is not possible to separately classify members of the Travelling community from the system.
Dan Neville
Question:149 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Health and Children the number who died by suicide in each county for each year since 1978 by gender and five year age groups. [18671/00]
The information requested is being compiled at present by my Department and will be forwarded to the Deputy in the near future.
Dan Neville
Question:150 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Health and Children the number and dates of meetings of the suicide review group; the terms of the group; and the details of any reports and recommendations which the group has made. [18672/00]
There have been nine meetings of the national suicide review group since it was established in 1998. The meetings took place on the following dates: 2 June 1998, inaugural meeting, 20 October 1998, 26 January 1999, 14 April 1999, 14 October 1999, 8 December 1999, 16 February 2000, 5 April 2000 and 31 May 2000.
The terms of reference of the group are to review on-going trends in suicide and parasuicide,
to co-ordinate research into suicide and to make appropriate recommendations to the chief executive officers of the health boards.
The 1999 annual report of the group is currently being finalised. This publication will include the annual statistics on suicide as well as providing regional reports/overviews. It will draw together reports from all the health boards, statutory bodies and the voluntary sector and present data on both a regional and national basis as provided by the Central Statistics Office. It is envisaged this report will be a resource for all those interested in any aspect of suicidal behaviour.
The group is currently involved in a range of activities concerning suicide and suicide prevention including the following which are currently being undertaken or in the planning stage: results of the public health departments national suicide study, national monitoring of parasuicide, suicide in schools conference, analysis of additional information in revised confidential return form 104, regional pilot projects to directly tackle the issue of preventing suicidal behaviour and regional strategies as prepared by the health board suicide resource officers. All of these activities will be further outlined in the group's annual report for 1999.