A new taskforce on youth mental health will meet for the first time on September 6th in Dublin.
The group is made up of representatives of youth groups, health experts and Facebook, and will be chaired by Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People Helen McEntee.
It is being established as part of the Programme for Government and will "consider how best to introduce and teach resilience, coping mechanisms, greater awareness to children and young people, and how to access support services voluntarily at a young age.”
The taskforce will maintain an exclusive youth focus, taking into consideration children and young people aged 0 to 25, and will consult with various young people in its work.
The junior minister Helen McEntee last night announced the make-up of the National Taskforce.
McEntee will chair the group, while Fingal County Manager Paul Reid has been appointed chair alternate.
Members of the Taskforce include Mayo GAA player Rob Hennelly, CEO of Jigsaw Dr. Tony Bates, ISPCC's Grainia Long, Cycle Against Suicide founder Jim Breen, and Ian Power from Ireland's Youth Information Website SpunOut.ie.
Professor Mary Cannon from RCSI was also listed as a member of the group, along with Dr Shari McDaid from Mental Health Reform, USI's Cian Power, Moninne Griffith from BeLonG To, and Mary Cunningham from the National Youth Council of Ireland.
Representatives from Facebook, and the Health, Education and Children’s Services Sectors including central government Departments and frontline staff will also be included.
Musician Bressie will also chair a young persons reference group along with former youth advisor to Jigsaw Emma Farrell.
Junior Minister McEntee said: "This is a significant milestone in our work to empower and support young people to strengthen their resilience, mental health and wellbeing.
"Together with local communities, we can ensure that the voices of our young people are at the core of a more open, more engaging, more supportive national conversation about mental health and wellbeing."
