I want to begin today by welcoming this report and the hard work the committee has done on this issue, and I also echo the comments made by Members from across the Chamber this afternoon. It's about time that we are debating this extremely important issue within this Senedd Chamber, and in preparation for my contribution today, I thought I'd go back to something that myself and mum stumbled across when we were going through dad's clothes after his sad death. Whenever we used to look in his suit jackets, we often found a pen that wasn't working, broken glasses or a white ribbon. But on this occasion, we found a piece of paper, a menu from a town council ball in Connah's Quay, and on the back it had written these words that he was going to make his speech based on: 'Edrych ar ôl ein gilydd'—look after each other.

Deputy Llywydd, in that spirit, I want to focus my contribution to this debate today. Nothing can prepare you for the lasting impact of suicide. It's devastating and the effects on family members and loved ones can be severe and far reaching. The ripple effect in particular hits you—it hits me. It's impacted close friends as well as friends of friends, and many of my friends looked up to my dad as their second dad. Some days, these ripples will be small, and sometimes we make progress. And other days, I struggle to get out of bed.

Unfortunately, friends and family of those who've committed suicide experience impacts on their own mental health. Learning that you've lost someone you love through suicide is traumatic enough. Personally, I can say that you do begin to have other feelings, and those feelings impact your own health and well-being—the feeling of guilt, anger, confusion, distress over unresolved issues and many, many more—all of which I know have had a long-term effect on me and will continue to do so. And I know they have a long-term effect on others in many different ways as well.

It's extremely shocking that statistics in 2017 show that 360 people took their own lives in Wales alone, and it's a horrible feeling that my dad is one of those 360. It's terrifying that thousands of others have had suicidal thoughts. As Members know, I try to speak openly about this issue, because I know there are others suffering in silence. No matter how hard it is, I will continue to speak out. It's what dad would've wanted; it's what he would've done.

Deputy Llywydd, I must pay tribute to Abbie Penell from Pontypridd who was recently in the news for speaking about the impacts of suicide following her father's suicide. And she was completely right about the need for support of those bereaved by suicide, and I must say I respect her bravery.

Deputy Llywydd, I'm going to finish by saying the words Dai Lloyd said earlier: suicide is everybody's business. We must all do more to support each other. We must all do more to prevent suicide. I do not want another family to go through what we're continuing to go through. So, let me take you back to the start of my speech, let's remember those words that dad had on that piece of paper in his suit jacket: Edrych ar ôl ein gilydd. Look after each other. Diolch, Deputy Llywydd.