A WEST Cork councillor has called for more supports to prevent suicide among young people.

Cllr Ann Bambury (SD) spoke about the issue at a recent meeting of the HSE South West Regional Health Forum, where services to prevent teenage suicides were discussed.

Cllr Ann Bambury said: “It is very prevalent and I think we must invest in early intervention and accessible mental health supports. That’s where it has to start at an early age. It’s important to catch the demographic of early teenagers.”

Cllr Bambury said she had attended events as a member of the Strategic Policy Committee, such as Teen Talk, held last year in Little Island.

“It was a phenomenal experience and it was broadcasted online. They have a huge attendance of teenagers from various schools. I would love to see that expanded, whereby teenagers could come and physically be there. I think to be physically there is a totally different experience than to experience something online.”

She added she had attended the event with a fourth year student on work experience who thought it was phenomenal, but regretted that his school didn’t participate.

“Teen Talk does not have enough funding to expand at the moment and fill in a few other locations on the map,” said Cllr Bambury.

She added: “In our local family resource centre in Bandon we have a counsellor that goes out to farmers on their land. It’s called At The Gate. If there are family resource centres or other local providers with a service like that, we need more money invested there. We need to build programmes like these and not just in isolated areas, but all across the county.”