‘Alarming’ increase in Suicide rate - McColgan

by Michael Tighe - Pieta House Tue Sep 25, 2007 12:28 michael.tighe at pieta dot ie 00 353 1 601 00 00

Well done on trying to make more people aware of the issue of suicide and its devastating impact on families. We are a suicide and and self-harm suicide prevention charity based in Dublin. We offer intensive counselling to people in crisis and have received clients from all over ireland including Antrim, Armagh and even as far away as Donegal. There is a huge need for more resources in this area and groups such as the Finglas Suicide Network in Dublin are one of many community groups working with us to establish community based suicide prevention services. More info on our service is available on the website. All of our services are completely free of charge.

by Michelle Clarke - Social Justice and Ethics Wed May 23, 2007 21:23

Don't know where you can get some of that 'washing powder' as per the OSF photo - Mr. Mazzinton but I would like to see a reply from Ogra Sinn Fein and their public meeting.....

Ogra Sinn Fein - I value your support about Suicide but I am surprised that you did not update the outcome of your meeting as suggested by Sean Crudden.

Communication is an essential component in dealing with Depression and other mental health problems.

You ought to take the cue from the group in Finglas who have consolidated to make people aware of the pain and despair associated with suicide and mental health problems - at all ages. Imagery is powerful and I commend them on their choice of the EAR and then replicated.

To listen and to hear are essential to try to conprehend what despair is about.

Remember, Suicide and mental health will not be swiped away with an election......it needs serious input at all levels.......Only now is the denial fading and people are conceding to the fact that too many car accidents are suicide mentality related.....

Michelle Clarke
Gandhi Quotaton 'Live as if you are going to die tomorrow but learn as if you are going to learn for the rest of your life' There is the challenge.

by Mazzington Thu Mar 29, 2007 15:01

Where can I get some of the official OSF washing powder that's being modelled in the photo? The packaging is lovely!

by John Tue Mar 27, 2007 19:21

It makes a maked contrast with the South. The suicide rate in the Republic has been falling consistently since 1998, having risen steadily in the 40 years prior to that. In 2005 there were about 450 registered suicide deaths in the Republic. So, on a per capita basis it looks like the North's suicide rate is now about 50 per cent higher than that in the Republic. The FF/PD government that has been in power since 1997 is the first government down here since the 1950s to record a fall in the suicide rate during its period of office. Probably the massive fall in unemployment has something to do with it. Obviously, many suicides are unrelated to economic circumstances and are due to mental illness, broken relationships and even failure at sporting events (over a dozen Pakistani cricket followers are reported to have killed themselves because of their despair at Ireland knocking them out of the World Cup). However, a significant minority of suicides are due to feelings of hopelessness at being unable to find a job and, particularily in the case of men, being unable to fulfill the role of family breadwinner. Obviously, this category of suicides could be expected to fall once unemployment began to fall and it looks like this is precisely what has happened since 1998. So, the moral is that, if we want to keep Ireland's (i.e. the Republic's) suicide rate falling, as it has done since 1998, we should vote for parties that are likely to keep unemployment low. I doubt if Sinn Fein fall into this category.

by Hmmm Tue Mar 27, 2007 18:16

Well done to the Progressive Democrats on this. They were the first party to set up a minister for mental health, and the first to directly tackle the issue head on.

by Maura Tue Mar 27, 2007 15:28

because suicide is the biggest killer of our young people i welcome this huge problem being dealt with by peer group - as well as Ógra i remember YFG in the south tackling it - more needs to be done by the government - listen to the youth.

by DMC Tue Mar 27, 2007 15:21

I think that issues like Suicide should be tackled by all political parties - good to see Ógra take the lead on this issue.