'More males dying on roads than of cancer' - report

Deaths from suicides and road accidents are now having a greater impact on the male population in Ireland than deaths from cancer, according to a new report.

Findings from the Society of Actuaries in Ireland indicated today that the country’s suicide rates among men aged between 15 and 24 years were the second worst in the European Union and that road accident fatalities were twice the level in Britain.

The society study examined different causes of death from the 1960s to the mid-1990s, and found that while there had been a general improvement relating to mortality over the years, it had not extended to young males.

This factor was attributed to high levels of road crash deaths and suicides, which accounted for more than 25% of all deaths in the age group.

Acturaries’ society chairman Tony Jeffery said: "Surprisingly, the number of years lost because of accidental of violent deaths, which includes suicides, are greater than those lost because of all cancer deaths.

"Suicide has only been recorded as a type of death in Ireland since 1976, but the increase over the past 10 years has been 50%."

Overall, the study concluded that while there had been a dramatic improvement in the mortality rate over the years, the Irish experience compared badly with other countries.

On road accident deaths, Mr Jeffery said: "In general, our rates are very close to the European average. But at the same time, they are very poor compared with other countries.

"Mortality rates from road traffic accidents in Ireland would be twice those of the United Kingdom."

The study also found that among women deaths from breast cancer in Ireland were high in relation to other developed countries.