Suicide Alliance: Urgent Govt action needed to tackle mental health

The Government has been urged to take immediate action to curb the rising suicide rate.

The issue will be debated by all parties in the Dáil today.

The programme for Government contains a commitment to tackling mental ill-health, and suicide.

John Saunders, the Chair of the Action on Suicide Alliance, wants the formation of a Suicide Prevention Authority, similar in structure to that of the Road Safety Authority.

"What the Suicide Alliance is looking for is a national approach to this issue," Mr Saunders said.

"We think that there needs to be a combined effort by state to the statutory services, by business and private enterprise, by the voluntary sector and by the community at large.

"I don’t think any one sector or Irish society can attempt to reverse or reduce the level of suicide; it has to be a cross-sector approach."