Address issues around suicide

There may be some people who having experienced the trauma of a loved one’s suicide will gain a certain solace from the new short form death certificate that the Tánaiste Joan Burton intends to introduce.

I am sure that this is been done with good intention but I for one 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 our son 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 choose to speak out about his death and received widespread media attention because of our belief that cheap alcohol and house parties are a deadly combination. That was in 2011 and three years later, 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 Tánaiste 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

Shanaghy Heights

Ballina

Co Mayo