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Suicide is killing the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people in Ireland

A new report highlights increased risks to individuals, like workers on zero-hour contracts or those who are facing losing their homes.
Living in poverty shouldn’t mean losing your life. Going through difficult times, like losing your job or being in debt, shouldn’t mean not wanting to live. But that is what’s happening in the UK and Ireland today. Suicide is killing the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people, devastating families and communities.

A NEW REPORT has said inequality in Ireland is “driving people to suicide”. The report, published by Samaritans today, highlights areas of risk to communities and individuals, including the closure and downsizing of business, those in manual, low-skilled employment, those facing unmanageable debt and those with poor housing conditions.

While the report stresses there is no single reason why people take their own lives, it notes socioeconomic disadvantage is a key risk factor for suicidal behaviour.

Previous research in this area has found:

  • Suicide rates in Ireland are two times higher in the most deprived areas than in the least deprived.
  • The least skilled occupations (eg construction workers) have higher rates of suicide
  • People who are unemployed are two to three times more likely to die by suicide than those in employment.
  • Men in the lowest social class, living in the most deprived areas, are up to ten times more at risk of suicide than those in the highest social class living in the most affluent areas.

Today’s report also reveals the risk of suicidal behaviour is increased among those experiencing job insecurity or those engaged in non-traditional work situations such as part-time, irregular and short-term contracts with various employers.

“Suicide is an inequality issue which we have known about for some time, this report says that’s not right, it’s not fair and it’s got to change. Most important of all is that for the first time this report sets out what needs to happen to save lives, commented Samaritans’ Executive Director for Ireland Deirdre Toner.

Everyone can feel overwhelmed at times in their life. People at risk of suicide may have employers, or they may seek help at job centres, or go to their GP. They may come into contact with national and local government agencies, perhaps on a daily basis.

“Each suicide statistic represents a person. The employee on a zero- hour contract is somebody’s parent or child,” Toner said. “A person at risk of losing their home may be a sibling or a friend. And each one of them will leave others devastated, and potentially more disadvantaged too, if they take their own life. This is a call for us as individuals to care more and for organisations that can make a difference, to do so.”

The organisation is asking key people and organisations from across society, like those working in housing, in businesses, medical staff, job centre managers, to all take action “to make sure their service, their organisation, their community is doing all it can to promote mental health and prevent the tragedy of suicide”.

If you need to talk, contact:

  • Samaritans 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
  • National Suicide Helpline 1800 247 247 – (suicide prevention, self-harm, bereavement)
  • Aware 1800 80 48 48 (depression, anxiety)
  • Pieta House 01 601 0000 or email mary@pieta.ie – (suicide, self-harm)
  • Teen-Line Ireland 1800 833 634 (for ages 13 to 19)
  • Childline 1800 66 66 66 (for under 18s)

Read: The number of people self-harming in Ireland is continuing to rise>

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31 Comments
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    Mute Bill
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    May 17th 2013, 7:25 AM

    Vast majority of the population have no say in the makeup of the Seanad shut it down .

    26
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    Mute Sean O'Sullivan
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    May 17th 2013, 7:08 AM

    Reform me arse! Shut it down!

    22
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    Mute FlopFlipU
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    May 17th 2013, 7:26 AM

    If there were imperfections in the system why were they not ironed out by now ,did it suit to have them there .It,s jobs for the boy,s I think -put them on half pay like the rest of the working people and see
    how many of them turn up

    21
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    Mute Itiswhatitis
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    May 17th 2013, 7:36 AM

    If we could see value . They are just a talking house with no power . The Dail can listen or ignore recommendations. The seante should have the ability to veto and block things.

    13
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    Mute Godblessthecraic
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    May 17th 2013, 7:39 AM

    I can’t wait to vote for its abolition, that’s if Fine Gael keep their election promise……..they wouldn’t lie to get into power would they??

    18
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    Mute gerbreen
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    May 17th 2013, 8:05 AM

    The Seanad has offered little to its citizens for many a year. Reform is not on the agenda as far as the referendum is concerned and has been frowned upon for years. Like the Dail it has a small number of successful people in the real world but they are too few in number and restricted by the whip. Unless I have been missing all these great successes of the upper house – I will be voting for its removal

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    Mute Itiswhatitis
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    May 17th 2013, 7:20 AM

    If I could see value I would be in favour however since FG got in no real change has happened so shut the place down.

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    Mute John Campbell
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    May 17th 2013, 8:10 AM

    Sorry, Senators Quinn and Zappone nice try but the people will not fall for it. Starting debate about changing the Senate is simply a smoke screen to hide the obvious which is that we simply cannot afford it and it serves little purpose save to award political ‘friends’ or groom prospective TDs. I note the proposal is for an ‘in house’ vote to make the change with the citizenry allowed no say. A straight yes or no vote in a referendum will do nicely thank you .

    15
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    Mute Oisín Ó HAlmhain
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    May 17th 2013, 8:41 AM

    Perhaps the fact that the Seanad is used as a consolation prize by some people, and a place to raise profile and become TDs is part of the problem.
    If all seanad nominations had to be in before any Dáil General Election, and no sitting senator was allowed run for the Dáil, then the Seanad might have more respect.

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    Mute John Scott
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    May 17th 2013, 9:43 AM

    there has been lots of reports sitting some where in the big house on REFORM. so SENATORS Quinn Zappone may be u should have a read of them. now get rid if this house an use all 65000e that u all get put it to some good.

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    Mute Alan Burke
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    May 17th 2013, 7:34 AM

    There are more than enough TDs and high ranking civil servants to oversee the tasks outlined above. The Seanad has no place in our political system and should be abolished.

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    Mute Geraldine Lee
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    May 17th 2013, 7:10 AM

    Shitheads

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    Mute Irish Mule
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    May 17th 2013, 12:50 PM

    Can’t wait till this retirement home is shut down.

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    Mute Tom Brennan
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    May 17th 2013, 1:02 PM

    I read it like this “Seanad, …., blah blah, drone on about constitution, waffle, more sh!te talk, blah blah, here is my pay cheque thanks to you taxpayers…”

    Shut the bloody thing down – simples.

    6
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    Mute Scarr
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    May 17th 2013, 9:44 AM

    I’d like to see the Seanad shut down to make way for an innovation fund – one project fully funded for up to 4 years on Seanad money. Project would eventually have to be self funding. or We could start a entrepreneurialism course in school, or programming or product design. Much better uses of money.

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    Mute Brian O'Sullivan
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    May 17th 2013, 10:46 AM

    We can’t abolish the Seanad without seeing some real reform of the Dáil as well. It’s already too easy for the Government to railroad legislation through the Dáil thanks to the whip system, and removing the Seanad will make that even easier.

    If the Government set out their proposals for real reform of the Dáil before the referendum and put mechanisms in places that assure those reforms WILL go through once the Seanad is removed, then I’ll consider voting yes. Until then, I’m voting no, because I just don’t trust the Government being left completely to their own devices to do what’s best for the country.

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    Mute tax slave
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    May 17th 2013, 3:38 PM

    For a small country we are to top heavy . . Too many chiefs not enough Indians .

    3
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