12.5% cut in suicide prevention in economic crisis is decision to save money at expense of lives – Neville

Fine Gael National Press Office Press Statement
Leinster House Contact: Dan Neville TD
Dublin 2 Joanne Lonergan Mental Health
Ireland 01 6183858 / 087 2379458

Thursday, 5 March 2009

12.5% cut in suicide prevention in economic crisis is decision to save money at expense of lives - Neville

The Fine Gael Spokesperson with Special Responsibility for Mental Health, Dan Neville TD, said reports today (Thursday) of a 12.5% cut in funding from the National Office for Suicide Prevention to mental health support groups was coming at the worst possible time. Deputy Neville said Government cutbacks in this area at a time of financial crisis amounted to a decision to save money at the expense of lives.

"Research into suicide since the 1890s shows that there is an increase in suicide rates and mental illness during times of economic recession. The Minister for Health and Children and the HSE should be responding to this need in the present economic crisis. They are doing the opposite and justifying it on the back of saving a relatively small amount of money.

"Economic strain and personal financial crises have been well documented as precipitating events in individual deaths by suicide. Stressful life events, financial and others, have significant impact on those vulnerable to suicide where typical coping mechanisms are compromised by the effects of mental disorder, substance use, acute psychiatric symptoms, and most of the other risk factors associated with suicide.

"Unemployment affects the suicide rate. The unemployed are six times more likely to be suffering from a psychiatric disorder than those in employment. Studies show that there is significantly more unemployment, job instability and occupational problems amongst those who die of suicide compared to those who do not do so. Of the men who took their lives in the Kelleher/Daly Cork Study in the 1980s, two thirds were out of work at the time of their deaths.

"The high rate and threat of home foreclosures is of concern. For most Irish, our homes are our primary investment and the locus of our identities and social support systems. When combined with the loss of employment, home loss or the threat of home loss, has been found to be one of the most common economic strains associated with suicides.

"The economic crisis will be used to justify this measure but, in fact, this crisis necessitates that mental health support groups are as fully resourced as possible, not cut back. The Government's decision to impose a reduction in this area can only be seen as prioritising saving money over saving lives."

Ends

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