527 people died by suicide last year

THE country’s economic problems have contributed to the single biggest surge in suicides ever recorded in Ireland, according to a report.

The National Office for Suicide Prevention’s (NOSP) annual report for 2009 has confirmed that last year a total of 527 people officially died by suicide.

The figure – 24% higher than the 424 deaths in 2008 which were counted before a change in Central Statistics Office (CSO) categorisations – is the single biggest year-on-year rise ever recorded.