Clare ‘needs suicide intervention centre’

A new suicide intervention centre is needed to cope with the significant increase in the number of Clare people expressing suicidal thoughts over a three-year period, according to support group Pieta House.

The latest official figures show the number of number of phone, face-to-face meetings, and emails to the Clare and Ennis branch of the Samaritans rose 16% from 15,000 in 2009 to 17,383 in 2011.

It is estimated between 15%-20% of all calls to the Samaritans are from people who relay suicidal thoughts.