Ireland ranks second in EU male suicide survey
Only Finland has a higher rate among the same age group. All other countries surveyed showed highest rates in the over-75 age group.
The survey, carried out by the European Men's Health Forum, found Ireland had 37 suicides per 100,000 male population among men aged 25-34, compared to Finland's 50 per 100,000. Britain was considerably lower at 20 per 100,000 in the same age group.
In the 35-44 age group, the number of Irish male suicide deaths per 100,000 was 30 per 100,000 compared to almost 60 per 100,000 in Finland and 15 per 100,000 in Britain.
Research and resource officer with the National Suicide Review Group Derek Chambers said Ireland had begun to buck the trend in recent years in the swing towards high suicide rates among younger age groups.
"Historically, every country showed increased risk of suicide with age but in the past few years, Ireland, New Zealand and Finland have tended towards the younger age groups.
"It may be down to cultural change and changing gender roles, where young men are finding themselves outperformed academically and in the workplace by women. The pressures on young men are increasing all the time, particularly in Ireland where the rate of change in recent years has been very fast.
"Men are no longer automatically the breadwinner. Before, they were clear enough in terms of career choices, young men living on family farms traditionally took them over. The situation is no longer as clear-cut."
Mr Chambers said pressures on men were exacerbated by social policies which were not geared towards them, particularly in the area of child access in the event of relationship breakdown.
Their health also suffered because men were traditionally reluctant to visit GPs, Mr Chambers said.
He said men were also reluctant to access mental health services.
Mr Chambers said parents had to be made aware of the issues putting pressure on young men to help them cope.
The survey found that parasuicide attempted suicide is more of a problem for women.
The survey covered 15 European Union countries (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Britain) along with Norway and Switzerland.
