Local suicide figures are needed, say Samaritans

COMMUNITIES blighted by suicide are not getting the resources they need because there are no official records of local suicide rates, the Samaritans said yesterday.

The failure of the State to break suicide figures down to localities meant areas particularly affected were not getting the help they needed, the support agency said.

In one area in south west Dublin, the Samaritans estimated that there had been nine suicides per month over a three-month period.

Phil Huston, director of the Dublin branch, said around 26 people, mostly young males, had taken their lives in Ballyfermot between January and March of this year.

“It’s a very high figure, based on discussions with the community in Ballyfermot,” said Ms Huston. “It’s very serious and way above the national average.”

She said neither the Health Service Executive (HSE) nor the Central Statistics Office (CSO) collected local suicide data.

“We need those kind of figures to direct resources to the right areas.”

Ms Huston said a three-day discussion on suicide, hosted by Joe Duffy on RTÉ Radio One’s Liveline show, had found that Finglas and Coolock, in north Dublin, and the Ballyfermot-Tallaght area in south Dublin, were worst hit by suicide.

“Of course there are suicides in other areas. But we have to know what we’re dealing with. Until we have statistics in localities we won’t be able to. What’s the point in distributing resources evenly, when the problem isn’t even?”

Ms Huston said the problem in Ballyfermot seemed to affect young men in the late teens and early 20s.

“We’re trying to get young fellows to believe it’s important to talk and get help. Unfortunately, there’s a macho thing.”

She said the culture now was determined by success. “It’s inhuman, because every single one of us have problems. These young people have to realise that life is full of problems, but the important thing is learning how to deal with them.”

Ms Huston said 20% of the 295,000 phone calls to the Samaritans in 2005 were from people with suicidal thoughts.

The Samaritans last night launched Samaritans Teen Help for the Ballyfermot area on 1800 945 678.

A spokesman for the HSE said they got their figures from the CSO.

The Samaritans national confidential phoneline is 1850 609090. People can also text 087 2609090, or email [e-mail].