A STORMONT ministerial taskforce set up to tackle the north's growing suicide problem has failed to meet for almost a year.
Campaigners last night branded the absence of meetings an "absolute disgrace" and accused politicians of failing to take suicide seriously.
The Ministerial Coordination Group on Suicide Prevention was set up a decade ago in a bid to combat suicide rates in Northern Ireland.
Most executive ministers have a seat on the panel, which aims to encourage a coordinated approach across Stormont departments on suicide and mental health issues.
However, it has emerged that the high-level group has not met since the middle of April 2015.
The group has only met on 11 occasions in the decade since it was formed, with the gap between some meetings stretching to nearly three years.
The details emerge amid fresh fears over the scale of the issue of suicide across the north.
More people have now died from suicide in Northern Ireland in the years since the Good Friday Agreement than were killed during the Troubles.
Less than a fortnight ago a family bravely spoke out to urge young people against suicide after suffering the horror of three tragedies in less than a year.
Colleen Lagan (28), from Ardoyne in north Belfast, tragically took her own life on Christmas Day – within 10 months of losing two cousins to suicide.
And the community was plunged into further mourning after one of Colleen's friends, 24-year-old Fionnuala Kane, took her own life just hours after attending her funeral.
Suicide awareness campaigner Philip McTaggart, whose son took his own life in 2003, said he was "gobsmacked" by the Stormont group's lack of meetings to address suicide.
The 52-year-old Mindskills training manager called for a rethink from politicians on how to address suicide and mental health issues in the north.
"There's more people that have now died through suicide than through the conflict – we can't let this go on," the north Belfast man said.
"Our politicians need to take this seriously. If they're not meeting they're taking their eye off the ball.
"If we can't get politicians to take the issues of mental health and suicide seriously, how can we expect others to take it seriously?
"It's an absolute crying shame. I am absolutely gobsmacked, but not surprised."
The Ministerial Co-ordination Group on Suicide Prevention first met in 2007 with three meetings held that year.
A meeting was held in 2012, and two in each of the years 2013 and 2014, but only one was held last year.
Two meetings were held each of the years 2013 and 2014, but only one was held last year.
Mr McTaggart added: "I know people are doing their best but the suicide issue continues to rise.
"I do think a departmental approach is needed. We need to go back to the drawing board. What's more important than saving lives?"
A Department of Health spokeswoman said: "The Ministerial Coordination Group on Suicide Prevention provides oversight, leadership, and impetus for cross-departmental collaboration and co-ordination on suicide prevention and mental health promotion.
"The ministerial group also examines progress in relation to implementation of the Protect Life Strategy and determines additional emerging actions required to support the strategy.
"The last meeting of the group was on April 16 2015. All departmental ministers sit on the group with the exception of DFP [Department of Finance and Personnel]."
