Fine Gael TD slams failure to implement suicide recommendations

Fine Gael TD Dan Neville has attacked the Government's failure to implement recommendations made seven years ago in an effort to reduce suicide levels in Ireland.

Mr Neville said the Government had effectively ignored the recommendations of its own National Task Force on Suicide, which were published in January 1998.

The Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats coalition did set up the National Suicide Review Group to implement the proposals, but Mr Neville said it had failed to give this body enough resources to do its job.

His attack coincides with the launch today of a new suicide strategy that includes the establishment of a suicide prevention agency.

Mr Neville, who is also president of the Irish Association of Suicidology, said the public were basically being offered another report and another agency to do what was promised seven years ago.