Samaritans warning - Suicide figures still give cause for alarm

RECENT reports of a small decline in the number of suicides in Ireland are heartening, but as the latest figures from the Samaritans demonstrate, suicide continues to plague Irish society.

An estimated 200,000 people from throughout Ireland contacted the Samaritans helpline in 2005. In Dublin alone, 86,000 callers, of whom 21% expressed suicidal thoughts, phoned for help.

Overall, the organisation was contacted 295,000 times by phone, email, letter or in face-to-face meetings during the year. The excellent work of the Samaritans underlines the importance of providing support systems for those who are emotionally insecure.