Neville to introduce EU seminar on promoting health and well-being among the young

Fine Gael TD for Limerick and Co-founder, President and Director of the Irish Association of Suicidology, Dan Neville, will today speak in the European Parliament on Promoting Health and Well-Being in the Young.   This conference will be attended by leading specialists from the USA, Italy, Nepal, Germany and Ireland.

“I am very pleased to introduce the Seminar and launch the project in relation to promoting mental health and well-being amongst young people. This project will look at the prison population in relation to those suffering from mental illness and intellectual disability.”

“In Ireland, 65% of our prison population has a mental health challenge and a further 35% suffer from intellectual disabilities.   It is unclear how many people within the prison population have both mental health challenges and an intellectual disability.   The programme will examine from the current evidence reform options like secured local regional assessment and treatment options which may serve these individuals, their families and the state better than prison.

“Suicide is a complex problem.   Addressing suicidal behaviour means supporting people in many different ways and requires a co-ordinated effort across many different sectors and levels of society.

“Usually no single cause or risk factor is sufficient to explain a suicidal act.   Most commonly, several risk factors act cumulatively to increase an individual’s vulnerability to suicidal behaviour, and risk factors interplay in different ways for different populations, groups and individuals.

“Research shows that there is a link between prison population and mental illness.   Research also shows a link between economic factors such as social deprivation, homelessness, poverty and suicidal behaviour.   There is a link between these issues and penal incarceration.  

“The project launched today is aimed at developing research for the global knowledge based economy and focusing on collaborative research both within Ireland and with external research partners.   The project organises service provision in a sustainable way to exploit all advantages of health support care.

“In the EU care costs are rising and we need research to strengthen options in the provision of innovative sustainable infrastructure.   Large inequalities exist in the provision of public health care for the mentally ill and those with disability including vulnerable prisoners.   We need to face up to the impact that accelerating mental health care costs will have on the well-being of Europeans.   We need this health medicine research to strengthen patient’s options and as a factor for mental health care.

“It is currently believed that about 30% of adult crime is committed by individuals who suffer from a conduct disorder in childhood. The aim of the project is to develop a sound diagnostic basis for conduct disorders.   I look forward to discussing all of these issues with my colleagues.”