Addressing Youth Suicide

national | miscellaneous | press release Tuesday May 11, 2004 19:38 by YFG Member

Suicide, attempted suicide and the pressures on people in modern Irish society must become an issue in the forthcoming elections on June 11th according to Young Fine Gael President William Lavelle.

Young Fine Gael last night (Monday) held a seminar in Edgeworthstown, Co. Longford on the issue of youth suicide. The meeting was be addressed by Fine Gael Leader Enda Kenny TD as part of his tour of the country ahead of the Local and European Elections on June 11th.

President of Young Fine Gael, Wlliam Lavelle says: ”The Government is ignoring an epidemic, which is causing death and anguish to families and communities throughout the State. Each year, more than 450 people take their own lives and in excess of 10,000 people report to Accident and Emergency having self-harmed. Yet, apart from lip service, the problem is ignored.

"A strategy on tackling suicide has been in place since January 1998 when the Report of the National Task Force on Suicide was published with 86 recommendations on ways of preventing suicide. Yet 6 years afterwards, we have seen no action from the Government on the majority of these recommendations.

“Young Fine Gael is calling on the government to release funds to ensure all secondary students in the country have access to counseling services. We also call on them to recognise the epidemic of youth suicides and attempted suicides and to take measures to introduce properly funded Suicide Prevention policies immediately