Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)

I wish to share time with Deputy Stanton.

I welcome this opportunity to make a statement regarding the serious problem of suicide, especially among young males. I commend Deputy Neville on his positive activity in the area at national level at a time when open discussion on this tragic issue is often despised.

Some 444 deaths were registered as suicide in 2003 which is a serious indictment of our society. There may be more than that registered figure. Eight of the 86 proposals made by the national task force on suicide have been implemented. That is unacceptable and it questions the relevance of setting up groups to propose strategies if they are to be virtually ignored.

I want to raise a specific case that has caused great anxiety to me personally as well as to many other people. The man involved in this particular case was at the older end of the age spectrum. Fred Williamson, at 70 years of age and recovering from a serious illness, found himself without family back-up and in serious depression. He begged the authorities to take him into care for a few weeks at least, or longer if necessary, to see if he could benefit from such care. However, they insisted that he was a patient suitable for home care and not in-house accommodation. That care was tried for a number of weeks and, once again, through my office, I begged the authorities on his behalf to re-examine his situation, taking into account his home difficulties. I was assured they were fully aware of those difficulties but that he should be either treated at home or in a home for the elderly. His two sisters lived in England and were not in a position to look after him.

On the last day I was in consultation with him, I spent two hours on a Monday evening on the phone to the psychiatric services without success. I had to leave the country on business that night and did not arrive back until Friday. I did not get further information from the psychiatric services but I got a phone call at 12 o'clock on Saturday to advise me of Freddie's death. I appreciate that senior personnel from the services made themselves available to the family after the event on Saturday, and possibly again on Sunday, but I genuinely believe that a situation like this one, where there was a clear cry for help, should not and must not be ignored.

I put this case on the record not in a vindictive way but in the slight hope that somebody will listen and ensure that when people like this man cry out for help, they will be listened to. This death is one of four similar deaths in my immediate area within a few short weeks of each other. I appreciate the fact that the VEC organised two very successful open meetings in County Monaghan to discuss this issue and try to get some help for those who are left behind because they are the ones who have to deal with one of life's most difficult situations.

I beg the Government to treat this issue with sincerity and urgency, make every effort to deal with the cases it knows about and, through the educational structures, try to deal with the possible problems. We must recognise that young people, especially young males, are no longer actively involved in Church structures and find it more difficult to discuss their anxieties. The churches no longer appear to be as relevant and young people do not have the same access to clerics and others involved in churches.

There is also a major problem with family structures and poor family life when two members are working. There is a lack of the older type family support. One has to examine the situation in Belfast where so many people have taken their own lives by suicide, perhaps partly related to the troubles. There is also the problem of isolation in rural Ireland, which I believe will get worse rather than better.

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