The Samaritans say the fall in suicides last year is no cause for complacency, pointing to an increase in suicides by young women.
The figures, published recently by the Department of Health and Children, show that 90 women died by suicide last year, compared with 83 in 1998, 78 in 1997 and 68 in 1996.
Most suicides continue to be among men, though the numbers last year showed a fall on the previous year. In all, 349 males committed suicide in 1999, compared with 421 in 1998, 355 in 1997 and 310 in 1996.
"Every female age group between 25 and 64 years old saw a rise in the numbers turning to suicide in a continuing upward trend," the Samaritans said.
Welcoming the reduction in male suicides, they point out that "younger men are still the group most at risk of taking their own lives".
"While welcoming the reduced suicide rates, we will be a lot more pleased when the numbers fall continually year on year and in all population groups," Mr Ciaran Lynch of the Samaritans said yesterday. Last year 195,325 people spoke to Samaritan volunteers of whom 27,000 were suicidal.
The Samaritans' telephone number in the Republic is 1850 609090, and in Northern Ireland 0345 909090. Weblink: www.samaritans.org pomorain@irish-times.ie