Adams welcomes suicide task group

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams has given a general welcome to the news that a Suicide Task Group is to be established for North and West Belfast.

"This has come about after a sustained campaign by the local community, those bereaved through suicide and Sinn Féin," he said.

"There still remains, however, an onus on the Department of Health to bridge the funding gap which continues to exist for mental health provision in North and West Belfast and ensure that a regional strategy for suicide prevention is put in place.

"Sinn Féin intends to meet with the Health Minister in the coming weeks to continue to press the Department to seriously address the issue of suicide and suicide prevention."