Public meetings to tackle issue of suicide

A NATIONWIDE series of town hall-style meetings is due to begin this evening as part of a campaign to help tackle the growing rate of suicide and change attitudes towards mental ill-health.

The public meetings will include contributions from experts on mental health, local service providers and Minister of State with responsibility for mental health John Moloney.

The first of 34 public meetings is due to take place in Ennis, Co Clare, this evening.

Figures published earlier this year revealed a dramatic rise in the number of people dying by suicide last year, up from 424 in 2008 to 527 in 2009. Many experts believe that strains linked to the economic downturn and rising unemployment may be behind the increase.

Mr Moloney said many suicides could be prevented if society was more open in its attitudes towards mental ill-health.

“Learning to live with mental health problems is extremely difficult, but this difficulty can be compounded when someone experiences at first hand the prejudice caused by stigma,” he said.

However, suicide prevention campaigners have criticised the level of funding allocated by the Government to groups trying to tackle the problem.

Noel Smyth, chairman of the 3Ts charity which promotes awareness of suicide, says that current funding – €5.5 million this year – is just a “drop in the ocean” compared with what is needed.

Mr Moloney has insisted that as much funding as possible is going towards tackling the issue. A major problem is the lack of awareness and stigma surrounding mental health. The town hall meetings, he said, will help tackle this by encouraging people to come forward for support if they are experiencing mental health problems.

• The first meeting takes place this evening at the Templegate Hotel, Ennis, at 7.30pm. Information on further meetings is available at: www.seechange.ie