Call for suicide services audit

AN immediate audit of all suicide prevention services is needed to uncover the “true failure” of Government to adequately tackle the issue, a leading charity has claimed.

Speaking before today’s launch of a dedicated 24-hour national help line specifically for people at risk of suicide, Turning the Tide of Suicide (3Ts) chairman Noel Smyth said the move was a vital step towards tackling an issue he described as “the scourge of Ireland”.

He said the audit should be allowed to examine the geographical, financial and staff issues surrounding state suicide prevention.