Senator hopes to inform efforts to combat suicide

A former psychiatric nurse is hoping a series of nationwide workshops can provide the Government with the necessary tools to reduce a needless average suicide death rate of 500.

John Gilroy, who worked as a psychiatric nurse in St Stephen’s Hospital, Glanmire, Co Cork, for 27 years — until becoming a senator last year — has been tasked with tackling the country’s increasing suicide problem.

He has been appointed as Raporteur (compiler) on Suicide Prevention to the Joint Oireachtas Committee and plans to hold the first national meeting in Cork