The Cabinet has been told Ireland has seen reduction a 28% reduction in the suicide rate over a 21 year period, making it the 11th lowest level in the EU.
Preliminary figures for 2023 record 302 deaths, the lowest such figure for over 20 years.
Between 2000 and 2021, Ireland suicide rate fell from 12.9 per 100,000 in 2000 to 9.2 per 100,000 in 2021 - the last year for which there are official figures.
In a statement, the Department of Health said there is a "significant time lag reporting on deaths by suicide and this number will revise upwards as Coroner investigations conclude".
However, it added the reduction "shows progress".
Minister of State for Mental Health Mary Butler and Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill told their Cabinet colleagues that while the overall decline is to be welcomed, it has to be acknowledged that every life lost to suicide is one too many.
Ms Butler told the Cabinet the Department of Health is working to develop a new national suicide reduction policy, which received 1,895 submissions - the majority coming from members of the public.
She said her intention is to finalise a new strategy to further reduce self-harm and suicide by the end of the year.
Population growth
Taoiseach Micheál Martin will also bring the latest strategic policy guidance from the National Economic and Social Council to the Cabinet.
It is focused on how to achieve the National Planning Framework goal that half of all population growth is within the five cities and their suburbs from now to 2040.
Of this, 50% of that growth should be in Dublin and the other half in the other four cities.
Between 2016 to 2022, the share of population growth represented by the five cities was just 32%.
The NESC Report recommends increases in public investment to unlock land suited for compact growth and a review of development incentives with a view to providing stronger incentives for brownfield development.
The NESC suggests the Government continues to seek reductions in the construction costs of apartments as well as houses; increased investment in cost rental homes; and the development of a brownfield activation strategy.
It also wants more flexible rent controls to support increased supply and more emphasis on densification of existing areas, including more use of corner sites, gardens, and mews development.
The Tánaiste will update Cabinet on the latest developments on trade, including ongoing negotiations between the EU and US.
The Tánaiste will also update on plans to accelerate ratification of the EU-Canada trade deal, known as CETA. He will tell colleagues that his department has prepared a draft Scheme of an Arbitration (Amendment) Bill.
The approach proposed would enable ratification not just of CETA, but also of other EU-third country Investment Protection Agreements with similar models of investor-State arbitration schemes, such as in Singapore and Chile.
This means that a two-step process, like deal with CETA first and then other agreements afterwards, would be unnecessary, as the same approach can be used for both CETA and the other agreements.
The draft scheme is currently the subject of consultation across Government with a view to having a memorandum ready for Government by the end of May.
European Quantum Pact
Minister for Further and Higher Education James Lawless informed the meeting of his intention to sign the European Quantum Pact.
This is a joint declaration by EU science ministers which recognises the transformative potential of quantum technologies for Europe’s scientific, industrial, and strategic future.
The minister said quantum technologies "hold immense promise" for addressing challenges through breakthroughs across multiple sectors, including digital security, healthcare, climate modelling and advanced manufacturing.
He added they are "central" to Ireland’s ambition in "deep tech" innovation across key strategic areas such as semiconductors, life sciences, sustainable energy, financial services, and cybersecurity.
Minister Lawless said Ireland will "strengthen its ability to collaborate internationally, gaining access to shared infrastructures, research capacity and knowledge transfer networks" by signing the pact.
Renewable Electricity Support Scheme
Minister for Energy Darragh O'Brien will seek Cabinet approval for the key design features of the fifth onshore Renewable Electricity Support Scheme auction, known as RESS 5.
The terms and conditions of RESS 5 will follow a broadly similar approach to that of RESS 4, which was completed in 2024 with the auction results submitted to Government in September 2024.
The fourth RESS auction was held in August 2024 with the results approved by Government in September 2024.
The overall volume in RESS 4 was 2070.97GWh of shovel ready renewable electricity projects which equates to 959.84MW of solar and 373.8MW of onshore wind.
The Climate Action Plan 2024 - published in December 2023 - set out revised sectoral emission targets consistent with the carbon budgets for the period 2021-2025 and 2026-2030.
The CAP set a target of 9GW of onshore wind, 8GW of solar and at least 5GW of offshore wind by 2030.
It is known that increased delivery of grid scale renewable electricity generation will be required to achieve an 80% renewable share of electricity demand.
