The head of an Irish suicide-prevention agency claims the Government has "worse than failed" when it comes to tackling mental health and suicide issues.
Although Taoiseach Enda Kenny promised to make mental health and suicide prevention a priority, little has been done to address the issue, according to Noel Smyth, chairman of Turn the Tide on Suicide.
“They have worse than failed when it comes to dealing with mental health. They have totally reneged on their promise. We have met with all the relevant ministers over the years. Going away and doing nothing seems to be part of their course,” he said.
“They talk to you, wring their hands and say everything they will do. Then they do nothing," Mr Smyth added.
“They absolutely have to take notice and deliver the message they promised. The reality is that if we do not change our ways, we will lose more young people. We can’t just treat this like just another problem.”
Mr Smyth said that one of the only ways to tackle suicide would be the development of a suicide-prevention authority, much like the Road Safety Authority, as three times more people die from suicide than on Irish roads.
"A dedicated suicide prevention authority with the autonomy to address this issue is the only solution. The aim of our campaign is to highlight just how big the problem of suicide is in Ireland and to create a groundswell of public support for change,” he said.
A campaign video calling for a suicide-prevention agency
Turn the Tide on Suicide, which receives no Government funding, yesterday unveiled its campaign to boost awareness of the issue among young men in Ireland. The campaign includes a video calling for a suicide-prevention authority.
The campaign also includes posters depicting Government reluctance to tackle the suicide issue and a petition.
“We have lobbied many organisations, and a lot of them agree with what we have to say,” Mr Smyth said.
Full information on the campaign can be found on the charity's website 3ts.ie.