Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 June 2004
142 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children if extra funding can be provided to assist organisations helping persons and their families who have or are affected by suicide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18816/04]
View answerSince the publication of the Report of the National Task Force on Suicide in 1998, a cumulative total of more than €17.5 million has been provided towards suicide prevention programmes and for research. This year more than €4.5 million is available to the various agencies working towards reducing the level of suicide and attempted suicide in this country. This includes funding to support the work of the health boards, the National Suicide Review Group, the Irish Association of Suicidology and the National Suicide Research Foundation for its work in the development of a National Parasuicide Register.
I am fully committed to the intensification of suicide prevention measures and research programmes and the further development of other initiatives. Additional funding for this area will be considered in the context of the Estimates process for 2005 and subsequent years. With regard to the further development of suicide prevention programmes, work is now well under way on the preparation of a strategic action plan for suicide reduction. This strategy, involving HeBE in partnership with the National Suicide Review Group and supported by the Department of Health and Children will be action-based from the outset and will build on existing policy. All measures aimed at reducing the number of deaths by suicide, including the provision of support services for people affected by suicidal behaviour, will be considered in the preparation of this strategy.
