No extra funds to stem alarming rise in suicides

NO extra money will be provided next year to stem the growing numbers of suicides, Minister John Moloney confirmed yesterday.

Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s World Suicide Prevention Day, the Minister with Responsibility for Mental Health admitted funding in the area is likely to be capped at €5 million.

Funding in the area of mental health and suicide prevention has been consistently criticised by campaigners, while provisional figures released earlier this year by the Central Statistics Office showed a rise in suicide deaths last year to 524.