‘New death cert’ will not change reality of suicide

Some people who have experienced the trauma of a loved one’s suicide may gain solace from the new short-form death certificate that the Tanaiste Joan Burton intends to introduce. I am sure this is being done with good intention, but I will not gain any comfort from it.

Having lost our 19-year-old son, David, to suicide in 2011, I feel justified in expressing my opinion on this matter. It states on David’s death certificate that he died by suicide and that alcohol was a contributing factor. We don’t have to look at David’s death certificate to know how he died. At his inquest, we spoke out about his death and received widespread media attention because of our belief that cheap alcohol and house parties are a deadly combination. Three years on, despite many promises from politicians, nothing has changed. All we hear is what may happen down the line. We chose not to hide the facts. So my message to Tanaiste Joan Burton is a simple one: get our Government to address the issues that were the cause of our son’s death. Then we will feel that something has been achieved.

John Higgins