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ACTION ON SUICIDE RALLY: SPEAKERS’ BIOGRAPHIES

SETTING THE SCENE

MR. GEOFF DAY – Director National Office for Suicide Prevention

Speaking on: Irish Government Strategy

Geoff Day is Director of the new National Office for Suicide Prevention which has recently been established by the Health Service Executive following the launch of Reach Out in September 2005. Geoff was previously chair of the National Suicide Review Group and Assistant Chief Executive Officer with the North Eastern Health Board where he managed mental health, primary care and health promotion services. A social worker by training Geoff previously worked in the National Health Service in England before moving to Ireland in 1997.

Geoff will talk about self harm and suicide in Ireland, outlining the extent of this significant public health problem. He will outline the process to develop Reach Out, its funding implications and actions taken since 2005. He will conclude by setting out the future direction for suicide prevention in Ireland.

MS. LORRAINE MCGRATH – SAMH, Assistant Director (Strategic Development)

Speaking on: The International Perspective

Lorraine has worked in health and social care for over 19 years, 14 of which has been with SAMH (Scottish Area Mental Health) and 9 in a senior management role. Lorraine has considerable experience in designing, developing and implementing new SAMH services to contract standards within agreed timescales and resources. Lorraine took the lead role in coordinating the organisation’s strategy around the “Supporting People” initiative and is currently the national SAMH “Choose Life” Coordinator. In her current role, Lorraine leads the planning team who have produced a diverse range of service proposals in response to national tender opportunities, including homelessness, crisis & addiction services.

PROF. KEVIN MALONE – St Vincents University Hospital, UCD and 3Ts

Speaking on: The Core Issues

Prof. Kevin Malone is Professor of Psychiatry & Mental Health Research at UCD and St. Vincent’s University Hospital. He is also a co-founder of the 3ts (Turn the Tide of Suicide). Prof. Malone has been involved in many research projects relating to Suicide and his current research work includes the National Survey of Suicide in Ireland. Prof. Malone is on the ‘Reference Group’ for the Government’s National Strategy for Action on Suicide Prevention Programme (Reach Out) 2005-2014. Kevin Malone has presented at numerous National and International Conferences on Suicide.

MR. JOHN SAUNDERS

Speaking on: Critical Factors

John Saunders has been the Director of Schizophrenia Ireland/ Lucia Foundation since 2001. He has previously worked in the field of Autism, Learning Disability and Personnel Management. He has worked professionally in Nursing, Nurse Education and in Health Service Development and Management. Particular interests include service development trends, quality issues, community development and standard setting. As director of SI he is specifically responsible for the development of accurate public awareness of Schizophrenia and related mental disorders and highlighting the issues and concerns of people with a diagnosis and their caring families.

He was a member of the National Expert Group to review and update Mental Health Services established by the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children. He is a board member of the Disability Federation of Ireland, an umbrella organisation of voluntary disability groups in Ireland. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of EUFAMI (A European organisation of voluntary mental health associations representing families) and The Wheel (an Irish cross-sectoral voluntary organisation).

He currently serves on the Health Service Executive Implementation Group overseeing the development of a Vision for Change – the new national mental health policy and is a member of the National Development Authority Mental Health Advisory Group and the NESF Working group on Mental Health and Social Inclusion.

WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE GROUND

MR. GARETH O CALLAGHAN

Organisation: Console.

Gareth O’Callaghan has been one of Ireland’s most successful broadcasters for over 15 years. He trained as a journalist with the BBC in the mid-80’s. In 2005, he took a break from radio to pursue a career in training and teaching, having spent over five years working in the field of behavioural psychology. He works with and trains both professionals and groups in the corporate, health and public sectors in more effective communication techniques, and also in the field of anxiety management. His book, A Day Called Hope, has now become one of the biggest selling books in Ireland in the past five years. It has been published in 12 countries, and in five languages. He regularly speaks publicly about mental health issues, including the tragedy of suicide, and in particular on the subject of suicide prevention. He also writes for the Sunday Independent and currently broadcasts with Galway Bay FM.

MR. RUAIRI McKIERNAN – www.SpunOut.ie

Organisation: SpunOut

Ruairi McKiernan is 29 years old and the Founder of the award winning SpunOut Youth Media organisation. SpunOut is recognised as an innovative leader in the fields of youth work, health promotion, community media and social change. Their flagship initiative is the acclaimed SpunOut.ie National Youth Website, which provides information, support and advocacy opportunities to young people throughout Ireland. SpunOut.ie provides hundreds of fact sheets on all aspects of youth health and culture including mental health, suicide and sexual health as well as a searchable database of help contacts, moderated discussion forums and an advocacy platform for young people to get heard. SpunOut.ie is run in partnership with hundreds of young people from throughout Ireland and has been endorsed by the HSE, Mental Health Ireland, the Ombudsman for Children’s Office and all the major youth organisations. Ruairi, a business graduate and former health board worker, established the organisation in Janaury 2004 in response to what he calls the ‘growing need to engage, involve, support and empower young people in receiving support whilst getting their voices heard and tackling the issues that affect them.

Ian Howley is a 22 year old graphic design student at Letterkenny Insitute of Technology (L.I.T) and key member of the SpunOut.ie Youth Board.

Ian is the survivor ofthree suicide attempts between the ages of 13 and 16, which he feels were due to feelings of isolation on realising he was gay. He has since become a courageous advocate for awareness, acceptance and support for gay and lesbian young people.

Ian is the President of his college LGBT Society and writes for a number of publications including SpunOut.ie. As part of his SpunOut advocacy work he has featured on RTE Three 60, RTE 6.1 news, and on numerous regional newspapers and radio stations.

MR. PAT BUCKLEY

Organisation: Let’s Get Together Foundation

Thirty-Six year old Pat Buckley from Midleton in County Cork buried two of his brothers in the space of less than one and a half years, both died by suicide. His family of six children become a family of four between June 2002 and September 2003. The death of his brothers left the family utterly bewildered and shattered with grief. These tragic deaths prompted Pat to set up the Let’s Get Together Foundation to help others affected by Suicide and to look at ways of preventing it. In June 2005, the Let’s Get Together Foundation linked up with a number of similar organisations throughout the country to set up “All Ireland Prevention”, raising awareness of the issue and speaking to local and national media. Pat feels the work carried out by the Let’s Get Together Foundation has made a difference in the Midleton Area, though he points out there is still a huge amount of work to be done. “Suicide is still happening”.

MS. MAUREEN BOLGER Founder
EDDIE MAHONY Chairman

Organisation: Teenline Ireland

Teen-line Ireland: Maureen Bolger’s son Darren died by Suicide in April 2003. In 2004 Teen-line Ireland was founded to provide a specific Help-line for troubled young adults who may feel depressed or Suicidal. The concept for Teen-Line Ireland has been fuelled by the overwhelming demand for very frightened and vulnerable young people for a safe place to verbalise and communicate their issues and their pressing worries in order to combat the everincreasing numbers of suicide victims of teenage and early adolescent years. Teen-Line Ireland’s ethos is built on the belief that young people need to be heard. Teen-Line Ireland are committed to helping to improve the social and emotional health and well being of all young people by offering them a friendly, caring, confidential, non-judgemental help line and support service.