Councillors to meet HSE officials to discuss suicides
Local councillors will meet officials from the HSE later this month to discuss the spate of suicides in the county.
It follows a debate at the January local authority meeting during which Independent Councillor Shane P O’Reilly said the “time for hiding behind press releases is over” and that something must be done urgently in the county.
Since then a well-attended public meeting, with the input of Pieta House, has taken place in Virginia.
Cllr O’Reilly himself has meanwhile put his support behind a free mental health and resilience event organised by The Feel Good Project, taking place at The Lakeside Manor Hotel on Thursday, February 23, starting at 8pm. This will be attended by comedian Rory O'Connor, aka Rory's Stories; Cllr Brendan Fay, SOSAD Cavan, and county footballer Oisin Kiernan.
Elsewhere, renowned medical doctor and mental health expert, Dr Harry Barry, will give a talk at the Slieve Russel hotel on March 9 at 7:45pm, discussing managing anxiety, depression, toxic stress, and preventing suicide, with a particular focus on the mental health of young people. That event is being organised by Drumlane Pastoral Council, in collaboration with local community organisations and the Ballyconnell hotel.
The specially convened council meeting will feature input from local support services providers, as well as clinical and psychiatric specialists from within the HSE and Cavan General Hospital.
Cathaoirleach of Cavan County Council, John Paul Feeley, welcomed that the meeting was taking place.
“There was an urgent request arising from our January following the deaths of a number of people in our county, to meet with the HSE to discuss the need for supports and their availability to people in a mental health crisis. We contacted the HSE and we’ve arranged for officials relevant to those services to now come and meet with councillors so they can express directly their concerns to them.”
This will not be an open council meeting, rather a meeting with officials and Cllr Feeley expressed hope that the closed forum will present an opportunity for elected officials to speak freely.
“Some of these issues are very sensitive, are difficult, and so hopefully within that format people will feel comfortable about raising them and the HSE, in kind, will be in a position to offer frank replies.”
According to SOSAD Cavan, up to the end of October 2022, the suicide prevention and bereavement support charity offered 18,881 counselling hours, dealt with 2,346 phone calls, and engaged in 363 messaging chats with people suffering from poor mental health or suicidal ideation.
SUPPORTS
You can call the HSE YourMentalHealth Information Line, anytime day or night, for information on what other services and supports are available near you – Freephone 1800-111-888 or visit www.yourmentalhealth.ie
SOSAD CAVAN
26 Bridge Street
H12 C9P7
049 432 6339
Cavan@sosadireland.ie
SOSAD MONAGHAN
Unit 3 the Diamond
H18 YA33
047 723 75
Monaghan@sosadireland.ie
SOSAD KELLS
Carrick Street
A82 Y302
046 907 7682
SOSAD NAVAN
15 Trimgate Street
C15 PT99
046 907 7682
Navan@sosadireland.ie
SOSAD DROGHEDA
30 Magdalene Street
A92 WK46
041 984 8754
Drogheda@sosadireland.ie
SOSAD DUNDALK
42 Jocelyn Street
A91 TE26
042 932 7311
Dundalk@sosadireland.ie
SAMARITANS
Samaritans services are available 24 hours a day, for confidential, non-judgmental support.
Freephone 116 123
Email jo@samaritans.ie
Visit www.samaritans.ie for more information
PIETA HOUSE
Pieta provide a range of suicide and self-harm prevention services.
Freephone 1800 247 247 anytime day or night
Text HELP to 51444 (standard message rates apply)
Visit www.pieta.ie for more information
FREE TEXT SERVICE
Text 50808
A free 24/7 text service, providing everything from a calming chat to immediate support for people going through a mental health or emotional crisis.
Text HELLO to 50808, anytime day or night
Visit www.text50808.ie for more information