‘I provide service the state can’t afford’

A WEXFORD mother who lost two of her sons to suicide is hoping to raise €2.5 million to open a drop-in centre in Enniscorthy.

Kay Quinn, who runs a charity and 24-hour phone line to help prevent suicide, maintains she is providing vital services which the Government says it cannot afford.

Ms Quinn, who recently won Wexford Person of the Year award and is the co-founder of the Touched by Suicide charity, said she firmly believes her sons would be alive today if there had been services in place to help them.

“I lost one son in 1999 and another in 2005. I could have just sat down and withered, but I decided to do something and save parents the hell that I went through,” she said.

Ms Quinn fundraises through a charity shop in Enniscorthy and relies solely on donations to run the service.

“People can come and see us at the shop, or after hours they can phone me, come to my home or I will meet them somewhere.”

Ms Quinn said the service was “very busy” and young people in particular at the moment were coming with job and money worries.

“We can only hit on some of them. There is really a need for a proper 24-hour services. It is sad to think that so many are going to die before the Government does something about it.

“People come to us because they cannot afford a doctor, or to wait to see a counsellor. If someone needs help today what is the point of telling them to come back tomorrow?”

Ms Quinn said suicide was a problem in the area and it was getting worse.

“The Government is not waking up to the problem. Where is the money to try and tackle this problem? You cannot put a price on any person’s life. I heard Minister Barry Andrews saying €15m was not the best use of funding. I don’t have €15m, but I am able to do the job the Government is not.”

Ms Quinn said it was her “dream” to open a drop-in centre for troubled young people in Enniscorthy.

lTo contact Touched By Suicide call 087-6280952 or 053-9237435.