Latest news with #NISRA
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Calls to train workers in spotting warning signs of suicide
All frontline workers, including benefit officer workers, teachers, housing and health workers, should be trained in identifying the warning signs of suicide, a west Belfast MLA has said. Órlaithí Flynn, who has introduced a Suicide Prevention Training Bill, said suicide remains a "major public health issue in Northern Ireland". The bill would place a statutory duty on all government departments to train workers who work with the public to identify suicide's warning signs. Latest NISRA figures, from 2023, show that 221 people took their own lives in Northern Ireland. 'Devastating statistic' Flynn said 70% of the people that lose their lives by suicide are not involved in mental health services. "That's a devastating statistic," she added. "What more can we do to try and reach that 70%? It's important if you come into contact with someone who you think is suicidal that you then have the knowledge and the skills to signpost them to advise them and to guide them. "That could be the decision that actually saved someone's life," Flynn told BBC News NI. Nisra statistics also show that those living in Northern Ireland's most deprived areas are more than twice as likely to take their own lives than that of the least deprived areas. 'Extremely busy' Eilish Craig from West Wellbeing, a mental health and suicide prevention charity which helps hundreds of people every year, said the need for suicide prevention was deprived areas was "really high". The charity is extremely busy. "The north of Ireland is a post-conflict society," Ms Craig said. "Transgenerational trauma within communities, within families, exists. People in deprived areas are also living on the breadline, so they need support around all of this." "We are dealing with one to two crises a day," she told BBC News NI. "That is someone turning up at our door in extreme need. They'll tell us: 'I can't keep myself safe.' The charity has welcomed the bill, but has questions how it will be funded if it becomes law. "In theory this bill is going to be absolutely brilliant because more people need to recognise the signs of suicide," she said. "My only concern would be, once we identify these people, once we recognise the signs, what do we do next? Where are they going to go? Because of the cuts In the NHS, services are really under pressure. "It can only be a good thing to have people trained to spot the signs of suicide, maybe it'll create conversations in work places but it's what happens after that?" How will it be funded? Flynn, who is the mental health champion for Sinn Féin, said she was "totally conscious about the costs," as well as the "massive burden and strain" that the health service is under at the moment. "I believe the health minister is constrained in terms of what he can do. I believe if he had the money to fully implement the mental health strategy, if he had the money to fully implement the suicide prevention strategy, he would. I don't think financial constraints is an argument to make for not bringing forward this bill". In a statement, the health minister said his department has undertaken some early engagement with Flynn around her Private Members Suicide Prevention Training Bill. "This is a complex area which requires careful and detailed consideration. I have offered to continue to work with the member in this matter," added Mike Nesbitt. 'I was not coping' Christine Murray, who uses the counselling services at West Wellbeing, agreed. "The more people that can spot the signs of suicide the better to try and keep the numbers of people taking their own lives," she said. Ms Murray has experienced depression. "I was not coping. If I didn't have West Wellbeing services I don't know how things could have gone," she added. "These services are vital. You have to ask for help. It's worth it. I am still here." 'Save lives' If the bill is passed Flynn hopes this training would also be rolled out to arm's length bodies. "Any government employee who works with the public day and daily will be provided with some form of suicide prevention training. Flynn said the proposed legislation was not about making everyone a suicide prevention expert, but for them to know how to spot the warning signs. "It's the signposting that will save lives," she added. Flynn has launched her own consultation seeking views on her Suicide Prevention Training Bill. The proposals are part of a Non-Executive Bill, which offer individual MLAs the chance to introduce legislation independently from the Executive departments, but follow the same scrutiny process as Executive Bills following introduction. If any of the issues in this copy have affected you, details of help and advice are available on the BBC Action Line website.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Órlaithí Flynn: Suicide Prevention Bill would 'save lives', says MLA
All frontline workers, including benefit officer workers, teachers, housing and health workers, should be trained in identifying the warning signs of suicide, a west Belfast MLA has said.Órlaithí Flynn, who has introduced a Suicide Prevention Training Bill, said suicide remains a "major public health issue in Northern Ireland".The bill would place a statutory duty on all government departments to train workers who work with the public to identify suicide's warning NISRA figures, from 2023, show that 221 people took their own lives in Northern Ireland. 'Devastating statistic' Flynn said 70% of the people that lose their lives by suicide are not involved in mental health services."That's a devastating statistic," she added."What more can we do to try and reach that 70%? It's important if you come into contact with someone who you think is suicidal that you then have the knowledge and the skills to signpost them to advise them and to guide them."That could be the decision that actually saved someone's life," Flynn told BBC News statistics also show that those living in Northern Ireland's most deprived areas are more than twice as likely to take their own lives than that of the least deprived areas. 'Extremely busy' Eilish Craig from West Wellbeing, a mental health and suicide prevention charity which helps hundreds of people every year, said the need for suicide prevention was deprived areas was "really high".The charity is extremely busy."The north of Ireland is a post-conflict society," Ms Craig said."Transgenerational trauma within communities, within families, exists. People in deprived areas are also living on the breadline, so they need support around all of this.""We are dealing with one to two crises a day," she told BBC News NI."That is someone turning up at our door in extreme need. They'll tell us: 'I can't keep myself safe.'The charity has welcomed the bill, but has questions how it will be funded if it becomes law."In theory this bill is going to be absolutely brilliant because more people need to recognise the signs of suicide," she said. "My only concern would be, once we identify these people, once we recognise the signs, what do we do next? Where are they going to go? Because of the cuts In the NHS, services are really under pressure."It can only be a good thing to have people trained to spot the signs of suicide, maybe it'll create conversations in work places but it's what happens after that?" How will it be funded? Flynn, who is the mental health champion for Sinn Féin, said she was "totally conscious about the costs," as well as the "massive burden and strain" that the health service is under at the moment."I believe the health minister is constrained in terms of what he can do. I believe if he had the money to fully implement the mental health strategy, if he had the money to fully implement the suicide prevention strategy, he would. I don't think financial constraints is an argument to make for not bringing forward this bill".In a statement, the health minister said his department has undertaken some early engagement with Flynn around her Private Members Suicide Prevention Training Bill."This is a complex area which requires careful and detailed consideration. I have offered to continue to work with the member in this matter," added Mike Nesbitt. 'I was not coping' Christine Murray, who uses the counselling services at West Wellbeing, agreed."The more people that can spot the signs of suicide the better to try and keep the numbers of people taking their own lives," she Murray has experienced depression."I was not coping. If I didn't have West Wellbeing services I don't know how things could have gone," she added."These services are vital. You have to ask for help. It's worth it. I am still here." 'Save lives' If the bill is passed Flynn hopes this training would also be rolled out to arm's length bodies."Any government employee who works with the public day and daily will be provided with some form of suicide prevention training. Flynn said the proposed legislation was not about making everyone a suicide prevention expert, but for them to know how to spot the warning signs."It's the signposting that will save lives," she added. Flynn has launched her own consultation seeking views on her Suicide Prevention Training proposals are part of a Non-Executive Bill, which offer individual MLAs the chance to introduce legislation independently from the Executive departments, but follow the same scrutiny process as Executive Bills following any of the issues in this copy have affected you, details of help and advice are available on the BBC Action Line website.
Irish Times
02-07-2025
- General
- Irish Times
Population of the Republic grew by nearly a third in 20 years, study finds
The population of the Republic of Ireland grew by nearly a third in 20 years, while the population of Northern Ireland grew by 13 per cent, according to a joint study carried out by statisticians. Between 2002-2022, the population in the Republic increased by 31 per cent and by 13 per cent in Northern Ireland, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO) and Northern Ireland's Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA). In 2022, the population of the island of Ireland stood at 7.1 million people, an increase of 26 per cent, or 1.5 million people, over the 20 years since 2002 – the first time the island's population has exceeded seven million since 1851. The population of the Republic stands at 5.15 million, accounting for 73 per cent of the all-island population, while the 1.91 million people living in Northern Ireland accounted for 27 per cent of the total. READ MORE However, Northern Ireland's population density is significantly higher than south of the Border, with 141 people living per km², which is almost twice that found in the Republic where just 73 people are found per km². There are differences, too, in the age profile of both parts of island. Half of the population in the Republic are now younger than 38, and half older, while half in Northern Ireland are younger than 40 – compared to a European Union average of 44. In Census 2021/2022, just under half of the population aged 15 and over in each jurisdiction (49 per cent) were either married or separated, with close to two-fifths single in the Republic and 39 per cent in Northern Ireland. However, Northern Ireland has twice the number of people who are divorced, compared to the Republic – 6 per cent compared to 3 per cent, the joint CSO/NISRA survey found. The number of singles in the Republic has remained relatively stable – 43 per cent in 2002, falling slightly to 42 per cent in 2011, and returning to 43 per cent in 2022. The number jumped in 20 years in Northern Ireland, from 34 per cent in 2001 to 39 per cent in 2021.
Irish Post
05-06-2025
- General
- Irish Post
Northern Ireland's population to peak in 2033
NORTHERN Ireland's population is expected to reach its highest point in 2033, hitting nearly 1.95 million, before it starts to gradually decline, according to a recent report by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA). The study emphasises a low birth rate as the main contributing factor. The projections show that by 2031, the number of deaths will surpass births, marking a demographic shift that is only going to continue. Any future population growth is likely to rely entirely on migration, which is becoming a particularly thorny issue across the whole of Europe. However, the report assumes migration will continue at its current pace, resulting in an overall population increase of only 1.1% between 2022 and 2047, which is significantly lower than growth rates seen elsewhere in mainland Britain. Another worrying detail in the report is the rapid ageing of Northern Ireland's population. By the middle of 2027, pensioners are projected to outnumber children for the first time. The working-age population, which includes those between 16 and 64 years old, is projected to begin shrinking by 2028. By 2047, more than a quarter of the population will be aged 65 or older, compared with about one in six today. Northern Ireland is predicted to have the largest drop in its child population and the largest increase in pensioners compared to Britain. These projections are based on current trends and assumptions. Changes in government policies, specifically on migration, could alter future demographic changes. Ireland's population has long been shaped by the migration of its people. Historical upheavals such as the Great Famine in the mid-1800s, led to mass starvation and the emigration of millions. Ulster was particularly affected. Between 1845-1851 the population fell by 340,000, a nearly 16% drop, with the worst losses in the counties of Cavan, Fermanagh and Monaghan. Since then, Ireland has seen changes in population both within and outside its borders but still hasn't returned to its pre-Famine peak of 8.5 million in 1845. See More: Great Irish Famine, Irish Population, NISRA, Northern Ireland
Irish Independent
21-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Dublin to Derry flights ‘could resume by 2026' in boost to north-west region
Flights between City of Derry Airport (CoDA) and Dublin were cancelled in 2011. The airport is currently the least busy of three major airports in the north of Ireland. Recent air travel numbers from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) revealed the airport's summer quarter 2023 saw it welcome 48,000 travellers. The number is less than half the airport's strongest recorded quarter, when it saw close to 130,000 travellers in July-September 2011. Since that high point, the airport has faced the loss of routes like Ryanair's former Derry to Dublin flight, and the disruption of the global pandemic. Donegal TD Mr McConalogue told BBC News NI that talks to reinstate the Derry to Dublin route are ongoing. "The Irish government are committed to stepping this forward, have put a timeline in place as to how we can make this happen, and I have been liaising with the minister for transport and City of Derry management," he told BBC Radio Foyle's Mark Patterson Show. McConalogue said it been a commitment in the Government's programme for government and that it would move forward. He added that next month the transport Minister Darragh O'Brien will meet the airport management. McConalogue said the loss has "been a real disadvantage to Derry, Donegal, and the north-west region". In April, it was announced that direct flights between Derry and Heathrow will continue to be subsidised for two more years. It followed an announced by Stormont Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald of £4.626 million of funding from her department and Westminster's Department for Transport. It will ensure the continuation of flights between CoDA and Heathrow until March 31, 2027.
