Neville hits out at suicide research funding

The Irish Association of Suicidology has hit out at a cut in funding for suicide prevention and research.

IAS president, Fine Gael's Dan Neville, blasted a 40% cut in funding to the budget for suicide prevention and research.

He said 448 people died from suicide in 2001, with 379 dying in road accidents last year.

Deputy Neville blasted: "The Minister for Health and Children is blind to the devastating public health issue of suicide."

He said the 2003 budget for suicide prevention and research was cut by over 40% to just €665,000.

At present, the Irish rate of suicide for people aged under 25 is the second-highest in the 29 countries of the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development. It's also more than twice the OECD average.

Ireland has the highest increase in youth suicide since the 1980s - from 7.9 deaths out of every 100,000 up to 10.3.

"With up to an estimated 10,000 people self-harming each year, the Government seems blind to the terrible epidemic visited on Irish society and to the terrible tragedy visited on so many families and communities. It is not unreasonable to demand the same level of spending as is provided for road safety programmes," stormed Mr Neville.