Dan Neville
Ceist:79 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Health and Children further to Parliamentary Question No. 107 of 20 February 2003, the areas of spending on suicide prevention and research in 2002 and 2003. [12034/03]
Written Answers. - Suicide Prevention.
Since the publication of the report of the national task force on suicide in 1998, a cumulative total of more than €13 million has been provided towards suicide prevention and for research. This includes an additional €1.11 million provided in 2002 and a further €0.655 million provided this year. A breakdown by agency for these two years is as follows:
|
Agency |
2002 |
2003 |
|
€m |
€m |
|
|
ERHA |
0.127 |
0.150 |
|
Midland Health Board |
0.000 |
0.050 |
|
Mid-Western Health Board |
0.063 |
0.050 |
|
North-Eastern Health Board |
0.121 |
0.050 |
|
North-Western Health Board |
0.070 |
0.050 |
|
South-Eastern Health Board |
0.127 |
0.050 |
|
Southern Health Board |
0.254 |
0.050 |
|
Western Health Board* |
0.348 |
0.205 |
|
Total |
1.110 |
0.655 |
*Includes funding for National Suicide Review. National Suicide Research Foundation. Irish Association of Suicidology.
Additional funding has also been made available to further develop child and adolescent psychiatry, adult psychiatry and old age psychiatry services to assist in the early identification of suicidal behaviour and to provide the necessary support and treatment to individuals at risk. This Government shares the public concern about the level of suicides in this country and is fully committed to supporting suicide prevention programmes and the further development of our mental health services, as resources become available. My Department will continue to work closely with the health boards, the national suicide review group and other agencies towards reducing the level of suicide and attempted suicide in this country. The national health strategy, Quality and Fairness – A Health System for You, includes a commitment to intensify the existing suicide prevention programmes over the coming years.