Charity for families bereaved by suicide to open two new centres

Console, a charity that supports families bereaved by suicide, is to significantly expand its services.

The charity is opening two new counselling centres in Clondalkin, Co Dublin, and Limerick in the coming weeks. It has also just launched a website: www.console.ie

The website gives practical information on spotting suicidal behaviour, coping with suicide and helping children who have been bereaved by suicide.

It also provides details on support groups for families bereaved by suicide.

Console already has offices in Dublin and Galway, and will open the new centre in Clondalkin, west Dublin, next month. The Limerick centre will open in April.

Both will offer professional counselling and support for people bereaved by suicide.

A spokesman for Console said Clondalkin was being targeted for support because of the high rate of suicide in the area last year.

Some 20 people took their own lives in Clondalkin last year. Many of them were male and in the 15-24 age group.

The spokesman said there appeared to be no particular reason why the suicide rate was so high in the area.

"It could have been an act of impulse. It could have happened after the break-up of a relationship or because of problems with sexual orientation.

"It's very difficult for the family left behind because they are asking, why? Why would someone do this?

"There is a terrible guilt that they did not know something was wrong, and most families would have moved heaven and earth to prevent it."

Console was set up four years ago by families who had experience a suicide. It survives on donations and occasional grant aid.

Statistics are not yet available for the number of calls its freephone helpline (1800 201 890) received last year.

However, the spokesman said he expected it would show a significant increase on previous years.

Some 445 people took their own lives last year.