Pressure on Irish government to increase suicide prevention budget - POLL

Mounting pressure over suicide issue

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MOLLY MULDOON,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

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IrishCentral.com Poll

Do you think it's time for Ireland to face facts about it's problem with suicide?

Yes.

No.

READ MORE- Former President Clinton worries about Irish suicide numbers

More lives are lost annually to suicide in Ireland than road tragedies; however the budget to reduce road traffic deaths is eight times higher.

The budget for suicide prevention currently stands at less than €5 million, in comparison to the €40 million allocated for road safety measures.

In order to highlight suicide awareness one Dublin woman has organized a music night to raise funds for suicide awareness. The Irish Examiner’s “Let’s Talk Suicide” booklet will also be reprinted.

Emma McMahon from Killiney, who lost an aunt to suicide felt prompted to do something about the issue, considering her family have been affected by the epidemic proportions.

“When I read the Let’s Talk Suicide booklet and saw the comparisons between the road traffic and suicide prevention budgets, I knew I had to act,” she told the Irish Examiner.

"It doesn’t seem right that less is spent on suicide which claims nearly 600 lives every year," she said.

"While I was in school, nobody was talking about depression or suicide and noticing the warning signs early, which are so important. So, I decided to organize a music night in the hope of raising enough to get the booklet reprinted and sent to pharmacies, GPs offices and schools."

The Suicide Prevention Charity Music Night, which takes place at Leopardstown racecourse on April 1.

Further raising the profile of suicide in Ireland, former President Bill Clinton announced yesterday that he will travel to Ireland in May to speak about the issue.

Clinton addressed the issue of Irish suicide rates at our sister publication Irish America Magazine's Hall of Fame luncheon last week.

He told the assembled crowd that he had lost one close Irish friend, developer Patrick Rocca, to suicide and feared that it had become a major issue.

READ MORE- Former President Clinton worries about Irish suicide numbers
 

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