Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This is in response to one of many parliamentary questions I submitted in the last month. The question was to ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence:

the number of suicides recorded among members of the Defence Forces in the past three years, respectively; if no number is recorded, his plans to compile such information on members' health; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The reply I got was surprising and not surprising at the same time. It reads:

I am advised by the military authorities that the Defence Forces are not in a position to provide the information requested in relation to death by suicide. All sudden deaths must be reported to the relevant Coroner's Office. It is a matter for the Coroner to decide whether a post mortem should be conducted and to determine the cause of death.

Before we go any further, I have asked members of the Defence Forces the same question and the answer seemed to be very different. For example, the answer to the above question is "Yes, they are." The Defence Forces clearly know how many people have killed themselves, especially when done in Defence Forces barracks. For example, if a soldier shoots himself or herself in a guard or duty room, this is clearly a suicide, but the Defence Forces would record the death as an "ND", which is a negligent discharge. There is some kind of cover-up here. The information I received states that there have been four suicides in the Defence Forces recently. I have also been informed in a parliamentary question that an independent strictly confidential 24-hour careline manned by trained counsellors is available to all. My witnesses said they have never heard of it.

It has been well highlighted in the last year that members of our Defence Forces have and are still being treated very badly. Wages are very poor, with some serving members actually relying on the family income supplement. Others are sleeping in cars because they cannot afford fuel for transport to get home. The Air Corps is another major issue. Its members are overworked and it is understaffed. It is also known that certain chemicals that the members have to work with are leading to major health problems. There is a higher than average number of suicides in this section. We have followed up on information received on Lariam and I have raised it with two separate Ministers here. This problem has not gone away. I have been informed that members of the Defence Forces are still receiving this. One of the first things I want is confirmation about whether this is entirely true or entirely untrue.

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