Government urged to tackle Tipperary mental health crisis

A Tipperary priest has urged the government to tackle the country’s current suicide and mental health crisis.

In a meeting with mental health minister Jim Daly, Fr Michael Toomey of Clonmel raised serious concerns about the lack of resources in the county to address this epidemic, stressing that the county has had a higher than national average for suicide in the last five years.

The well-known priest presented a list of action points which included the opening of mental health beds; the appointment of a Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurse; a task force to address issues facing communities; and better health programmes and drug prevention schemes in schools.

Given these serious deficits, the minister said he will raise these concerns and suggestions at a government meeting in the area next month.

Appeal

Fr Toomey also made an appeal that parents talk to their children more openly with their children about mental health and drug issues. “To any parent who states that my child can talk to me about anything, and would never be involved in drugs or suicide, I am sitting with parents who say to me ‘If only my child spoke to me’ after a tragedy.”