Austerity ‘had huge impact’ on suicide

Five years of economic recession and austerity in Ireland have had a dramatic negative impact on the male suicide rate and the self-harm rate among men and women, a study has found.

In fact, the male suicide rate at the end of 2012 was 57% higher than what would have been expected had the pre-recession trend continued, with close to 500 extra deaths between 2008 to 2012.

The findings come ahead of the launch next week of the Government’s new five-year suicide strategy which Mental Health Minister Kathleen Lynch has said will receive no new funding.