Proposal to establish suicide prevention authority launched

Registered suicide prevention charity Turn the Tide on Suicide publishes draft legal Bill to establish a suicide prevention authority.

With Ireland losing on average two people per day to suicide, registered suicide prevention charity 3Ts (Turn the Tide on Suicide) is ramping up its campaign for the establishment of a national Suicide Prevention Authority by introducing a Suicide Prevention Authority Bill.

Suicide occurs three times more than road deaths in Ireland yet at present over ten times more is spent on road safety than suicide prevention. The national Suicide Prevention Authority proposed in the Bill would operate in a similar fashion to the Road Safety Authority. It is hoped that through education, infrastructure and technology that the Suicide Prevention Authority could drive and co-ordinate the necessary cultural shift on the issue of self-harm and suicide.

The Bill, drafted by Margaret O’Driscoll BL, aims to:

•   create a framework for suicide and self-harm prevention in Ireland;

•   set up a Public Accounts Committee to investigate how monies are being spent and adjudge its efficacy;

•   change current thinking that suicide cannot be prevented via a sustained public information campaign;

•   accelerate a mental health and suicide prevention education framework at all levels;

•   set up a dedicated suicide prevention service in every accident and emergency unit in Ireland;

•   coordinate so that the best service providers are available to everyone in Ireland.

The Bill explains that the authority could coordinate, liaise and licence all charities involved in suicide prevention, mental health and any related matter and instigate a regulation and licensing framework for counsellors, therapists and all practitioners providing psychological, behavioural and mental health therapies and services. It will also be responsible for collecting, coordinating and collating statistics on the economic loss that occurs through mental illness, depression and suicide.

The Authority would be run by an independent board, similar to the Road Safety Authority with board members providing different areas of expertise and would have the power to hold Government to account. If the Bill is enacted it will enable the authority to have its own ring-fenced funds incapable of being diverted and ensure a uniform nature of services across Ireland for those seeking help with mental illness.

Speaking about the campaign to establish the Suicide Prevention Authority, 3Ts Chairman Noel Smyth said: “Only an authority with the power to act as an independent body including the appropriation of qualified, ring-fenced funds can effectively tackle the scourge of suicide in Ireland.

“Many people, including members of our medical and legal team communities share the view that far from being a hopeless situation better coordinated services and protected funds will actually save lives lost. We are unlikely to change attitudes and to save lives unless and until we address this problem as being one that will continuously worsen with an increasing population.

“The authority would set about synthesizing suicide charities in this country based on their unique offerings and merit. Currently, there are around 500 or so suicide charities in existence in Ireland. In short, suicide can be as preventable as road deaths.”