Surge in suicide rates and alcohol consumption

SUICIDE rates and average alcohol consumption have shot up in Ireland over a 25-year period, according to a study measuring the performance of health systems across 30 countries.

The study, Health at a Glance 2007, shows Ireland has higher-than-average death rates from heart disease and breast cancer and more adult smokers.

We are also lagging behind in medical technologies with just 10.7 CT scanners per million population in 2005 compared to an OECD average of 20.6, and just 12.6 mammographs per million population compared to an OECD average of 19.9.