Harney vows to tackle spiralling suicide rate

TÁNAISTE and Health Minister Mary Harney last night promised action to reduce Ireland's spiralling suicide rate after criticism the Government was not taking the crisis seriously enough.

Launching a 10-year strategy, Ms Harney said a groundbreaking awareness campaign using texting and the internet would be created to try and reach vulnerable youngsters.

A new office of suicide prevention would co-ordinate implementation of the 26-point plan which also aims to put specially trained crisis nurses in 90% of A&E units by year's end, up from 50% at present. Fine Gael welcomed the broad thrust of initiative, but criticised the lack of funding details for the programme and said the extra €500,000 pledged by the Tánaiste for the rest of this year was "derisory".