Poor psychiatric services play role in murder-suicide cases

RECENT high-profile suicide associated killings need to be viewed in the context of the country’s poor record on mental health, according to the Irish Association of Suicidology.

Yesterday’s murder of two elderly parents by their adult son, who turned the gun on himself, comes two days after a mother in north Cork drowned herself and her nine-month-old son.

A statement from the association said people suffering from psychiatric problems cannot get sufficient access to services.