The lingering need to shore up the suicide support sector
These range from big players like the Samaritans and the now-notorious Console to small community groups like Dunfanaghy Family Resource Centre in Donegal and the Ballyfermot Advance Project in Dublin.
That suicide prevention is at the heart of communities is little wonder, given that suicide rates here are traditionally high and that the number of people taking their own lives accelerated notably during the downturn. Overall, there were 458 such deaths in 2007; by 2009 this had jumped to 552 and to 554 in 2011. In addition, Ireland has long ranked among the worst countries in Europe for suicide rates among men aged 15 and 26.
