A new national strategy aimed at preventing suicide in Ireland has been launched by the Government.

Connecting for Life: Ireland's National Strategy to Reduce Suicide 2015-2020, sets a target to reduce suicide and self-harm by 10% over the next five years.

"Historically as a nation we have struggled to talk openly about suicide and how it impacts on us. However, our national conversation is growing and we are becoming better at discussing and addressing issues relating to our mental health," the strategy states.

It notes that Ireland's overall suicide rate ‘is not high by European comparison'. We currently have the 11th lowest rate of suicide among 31 European countries for which data was recorded. However, the suicide rate among young people is high in comparison to international rates.

In fact, the suicide rate among Irish teenagers aged between 15 and 19 is the fourth highest among the 31 countries looked at. Furthermore, during the recent recession, there was an increase in the suicide rate especially among men in Ireland.

For example in 2012, when 541 people died by suicide, 82% of these were male, with the highest rate among men aged between 45 and 54 years.

Between 2007 and 2012, the most common methods of suicide among men were hanging (74%), drowning (9%) and firearms (6%). Among women, the most common methods were hanging (60%), drowning (18%) and overdose (14%).

The strategy also highlights the serious issue of self-harm. While a person may not be attempting suicide, research has shown that people who engage in self-harm are at an increased risk of going on to die by suicide.

The main methods of self-harm are overdose (64% in males and 77% in females) and cutting (26% in males and 20% in females).

The strategy is based on seven main goals:

-Better understanding of suicidal behaviour, including increased awareness of mental health services
-Supporting communities to prevent and respond to suicidal behaviour
-Targeted approaches for those vulnerable to suicide, such as people who misuse drugs and alcohol
-Improved access, consistency and integration of services, including improved access to effective therapeutic interventions for people who are vulnerable to suicide
-Safe and high quality services
-Reduced access to means of suicidal behaviour, e.g. reduced access to drugs that are often used in intentional drug overdoses
-Better data and research on suicide and suicidal behaviour.

Speaking at the launch of the strategy, Gerry Raleigh, the director of the National Office for Suicide Prevention, said that it provides ‘clear direction'.

"We have developed the strategy by following a collaborative, inclusive and evidence informed pathway. We must now move into focused action and be accountable for what we do to reduce suicide in Ireland.

"We recognise that we cannot do this alone, no single agency, no single Government department, no single individual can reduce suicide on their own. Therefore, we must ensure that we work together to achieve our shared and attainable goal for our nation," he said.

Also speaking at the launch, An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, acknowledged that this is an ‘ambitious strategy'. However, he insisted that despite financial constraints, the Government ‘has maintained and will continue to maintain mental health as a priority'.

"Suicide prevention is everyone's concern and this strategy is a national plan for the whole of Government and the whole of society to work together," he said.

Commenting on the strategy, Caroline McGuigan, CEO of Suicide or Survive (SOS) said that she is 'genuinely full of hope'.

"I see the changes on the ground and I know we need to keep working collaboratively and sharing/learning together. SOS feels included and part of the strategy and we are delighted to be playing our part," she said.

This new strategy builds on the work of the country's first national strategy for suicide prevention, Reach Out, which covered the period 2005-2014. Connecting for Life can be viewed here