Madam, - Tim O'Malley, Minister of State at the Department of Health (September 16th), writes that the Government is taking measures to reduce the numbers dying as a result of suicide and lists actions taken since the publication of the Task Force on Suicide report, published in 1998, to prove his point.
What he does not mention is that, six years later, his Department still has not fully implemented this report. He also fails to point out that funding for mental health has fallen from 11 per cent to 6.6 per cent of the health budget over the period to which he refers.
I also regret his reference to Dan Neville, TD and his capacity to speak on the subject. I attended a public meeting on suicide which Mr Neville addressed and his treatment of the topic was sympathetic and insightful. He seems to be the only politician who has consistently brought the issue of suicide and suicide prevention before the public, both through the Irish Association of Suicidology, which he co-founded, and by other means. - Yours, etc.,
DAVID GARRAHY, Riverfield House, Doolin, Co Clare.