Irish society must do all it can to help reduce the incidence of suicide, President Mary McAleese urged tonight.
She said teenagers particularly should be encouraged to express emotions and problems as they progress into adulthood.
Addressing a conference in Dublin, Suicide in Modern Ireland: New Dimensions, New Responses, she praised all those working to inform and help those affected.
"It is heartbreaking and utterly appalling to have to acknowledge that it is the most common cause of death among 15 to 24 year-olds in our country," she said.
"The sense of loss is compounded inexorably when someone dies by suicide." Family members and friends are often left confounded, she said, never quite understanding why or what drove their loved one to it.
"In its wake comes a torrent of emotions and so many unanswered, unanswerable questions," she said. "For these reasons it must remain an absolute imperative of society to do all that we can to reduce the incidence of suicide, to end the unconscionable suffering for everyone touched by it."
The president said preventing suicide meant, in part, influencing the development of the person, particularly during adolescence. "No sooner is the Playstation packed away it seems when romance, sexuality, alcohol, drugs, exams, careers, crowd in on a life just barely ready for the onslaught," she said.
"If there is a weakness in their resilience and coping skills it will be tested and if we are lucky experience will make them more assured not less. But we cannot afford to leave it to luck."
Ms McAleese said an important aspect of suicide prevention was the need to promote self-esteem and self-confidence. Young people had to be encouraged to express their emotions and fears, she added, and to realise there was help and hope.
The president acknowledged that it was a difficult subject and praised those whose work identified the benefits of holding such a conference. "Hopefully ideas, insights and experiences will be traded and validated and from this shared focus will come a route map to take us to a future when the statistical graph for suicide drops down and our hearts lift."
The three-day event would provide a forum where the myriad of issues associated with suicide could be explored and views shared, she said. Contributors include Professor John Mann from Columbia University and Professor Paul Soloff from the University of Pittsburgh.