Vol. 464 No. 7
23 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Health the concerns, if any, he has regarding the duplication taking place in terms of studies commissioned by himself and the National Taskforce on Suicide and the study commissioned by the chief executive officers of health boards in view of the fact that an international suicide study is being undertaken by a group in the Cork area. [7728/96]
, Limerick East): The Suicide Research Foundation in Cork is carrying out a study on para-suicide in the Southern and Mid-Western Health Board regions. Its aim is to appraise different interventions with persons who have committed acts of deliberate self-harm. My Department is providing financial support towards this study.
The chief executive officers of the health boards commissioned the directors of public health in each health board to undertake a clinical audit to establish the incidence and associated factors of suicide nationally. The aim of the study is to elicit information on risk factors which are particular in the Irish context.
Both studies are addressing different aspects of the suicide/para-suicide problem and are of particular interest to the task force in the context of the preparation of their interim report to be submitted to me by July 1996. This interim report will contain an analysis of all existing data relating to suicide, para-suicide and associated factors. The ultimate aim of the task force is to formulate a national suicide prevention/ reduction strategy. I am satisfied that no duplication exists between the work of the task force and the studies commissioned by the chief executive officers of health boards and the Suicide Research Foundation in Cork.
