Sinn Féin MLA Órlaithí Flynn has expressed frustration that suicide prevention plans are being starved of funding because the DUP are blocking the three-year Budget.

The West Belfast MLA said:

“Vital funding to promote suicide prevention is being held up because of the DUP’s walk out of the Executive and block on a three-year Budget.

“Families and communities across the north continue to feel the devastating impact of losing a relative or friend to suicide.

“More must be done to tackle it, that’s why Conor Murphy brought forward a Budget that would give health more money to fund mental health, addiction and suicide prevention services, recruit more doctors and nurses and transform the health service.

“The health service and community groups delivering suicide prevention services are much more important than the electoral difficulties of the DUP.  

“They should get back to work and ensure health workers and communities have the resources that they need.”