This article is from page 4 of the 2009-01-13 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
THE number of people who died from suicide in Clare last year was almost double the number that died on the county’s roads over the same twelve month period.
Figures supplied by the Clare Coronor’s Office, show that 17 peo- ple died of suspected suicide in 2008 when nine people died in road traffic accidents.
The high number of suicides prompted a call for increased gov- ernment funding and action to ad- dress the problem from consultant psychiatrist, Dr Moosajee Bhamjee.
The number of road deaths last year was a drop of three on the previous year and Dr Bhamjee said that the same level of government awareness and action needs to be taken in rela- tion to suicide prevention as to road rN AYs
“The drop in the number of road deaths both in Clare and nationally shows what can be done when re- sources are dedicated to the issue. The same needs to happen in relation to suicide.”
The numbers taking their own lives in Clare remained unchanged from 2007 levels with twelve men and five women suspected of taking their own
lives in Clare last year.
Seven people under the age of 30 are suspected of taking their own lives, made up of three teenagers and four people in their twenties.
Four people in their 30s are sus- pected suicide victims while the highest proportion of people taking their own lives were in their 40s with Six cases in this age group.
The number of people who took their lives at the Cliffs of Moher last year were four, including one Czech national who travelled from his Irish home in Westmeath.
Eight of the suspected suicides oc- curred between June to the end of
August.
Commenting on the figures, Dr Bhamjee said more needs to be done to tackle the problem and for earlier inteventon. “There remains a high incidence of alcohol in the system of people who do commit suicide. There needs to be more awareness,” he said.
The former Clare TD said he 1s aware of at least three to four people that have been referred to the psychi- atric service after they were spotted by rangers at the Cliffs of Moher.
“The rangers have done a great job and there should be funding for more’, he added.