USI highlights high rate of suicide

The high incidence of depression and suicide in the student population is of "massive concern" and must be tackled, the Union of Students of Ireland (USI) said yesterday.

Mr Colm Jordan, the USI president, said under-25s in Ireland were more susceptible to suicide than students in any other European state and they had the second highest rate of suicide in OECD countries.

He said an average of 25 people aged between 20 and 24 took their lives every year in this State.

This morning, the USI will release the findings of its survey of students' attitudes to mental health.

Mr Jordan said this was part of a comprehensive campaign to reduce the incidence of mental health problems among students.

In the survey, students were asked for their attitudes toward depression and suicide. They were also asked who they would contact if they were depressed or suffered from a mental illness.

In April, the USI will unveil a second study which gives the views of people who use support services offered by colleges, and the views of those who provide such services.

Mr Jordan said it was the first time the union carried out such detailed research in this area. He said students were facing increasing pressure due to exams, money problems and lack of support.

Many were living away from home for the first time and missed family support. Some had gone from a rural school with 15 or 20 classmates to a college with over 200 students per class.

"We know that young men are six times more likely to take their own lives than young women and we are trying to break down that masculine attitude towards getting help," he said. "But that's not to say that young women are being ignored in this campaign."

The mental health statistics are being released as the annual USI congress gets under way in Killarney this morning.

One of the main themes of this year's meeting is the threatened reintroduction of college fees. The Minister for Education, Mr Dempsey, is expected to refer to this issue when he addresses the congress later this week.

Motions to be debated at the conference include the removal of the student registration fee, the reduction in the Back to Education Allowance and the challenges facing students with dyslexia and eating disorders.