Govt accused of failing to address suicide among young

Young Fine Gael has accused the Government of failing to treat the problem of suicide and self-harm among young people with the gravity it deserves.

The Fine Gael youth wing said Ireland currently had the second highest rate of suicide among young men in Europe, with one Irish person attempting to take their own life on average every 45 minutes.

YFG said the Government was completely failing people at risk of suicide and self harm and had actually reduced the proportion of funds spent on mental health during the past eight years.

It also said the Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats coalition had failed to implement important recommendations made by its own National Task Force on Suicide.

The organisation is due to launch a policy document later today calling for a range of measures to address the situation, including increased funding and improved support services, as well as an advertising campaign "to address the stigma of depression".