Thomas Pringle TD has called on the government to establish a Suicide Prevention Authority to tackle the prevalence of suicide and self-harm in our society.
Speaking on the matter to Eamon Gilmore today at Leaders’ Questions, the Independent TD for Donegal South West said mental illness and suicide is a major problem in our society, with three times more deaths by suicide than on our roads in this country.
“This week Turn the Tide on Suicide launched a campaign for the establishment of a Suicide Prevention Authority in Ireland and I think it’s time that this proposal was given very serious consideration.
“Up to 700 people every year take their lives by suicide, over 300,000 people suffer from mental illness and 75,000 people self-harm in this country. Surely this represents a crisis of national proportions?
“The National Suicide Prevention Office is clearly limited and underfunded. As part of the HSE they are not independent and cannot be the advocate for vulnerable people.
“The Programme for Government made a commitment to ring fence €35 million annually for mental illness. The question has to be asked where this funding has gone – are services being expanded, or has the money gone to close gaps in the health budget?
“We have seen the success in recent years of the Road Safety Authority and how road deaths have been reduced, despite the terrible tragedies of recent days, impact is being made.
He added a Suicide Prevention Authority could achieve similar results.
“What it needs is the commitment of government to have it established and ensure that there is an adequate budget to help an authority in its work.
“From there we could through time see the numbers of people who are at risk getting help and the toll that suicide takes in our society being reduced, but urgent action is required to make this change,” stated Pringle.
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