Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Tim O'Malley. I am pleased to have an opportunity to contribute to this debate on a delicate and sensitive subject. The most recent statistic, as cited by the Minister of State, indicates that 444 people took their lives in 2003. This is most likely a conservative figure when one considers the incidence of deaths of undetermined cause in that year and that some suicides cannot be recognised as such because of the circumstances of death. A more realistic, but still possibly conservative, estimate is 500 to 600 people. This is a serious situation and deserves urgent attention.

The funding for suicide prevention measures is inadequate. I ask the Minister of State to endeavour to ensure more money is channelled into the area of prevention and research. Many families and communities are deeply traumatised by suicide each year. Some communities witness a cluster of suicides over a period, which they view as a major crisis. That the incidence of suicide is a crisis is undeniable. However, we must remember that of the total number of deaths, 30,000 per year, suicide represents only 2%. We must deal with suicide in the context of the total number of deaths. Nevertheless, suicide is by far the most significant category of cause of death for young people. It is certainly a crisis among young males. The ratio of deaths by suicide among young men is 8:1 in comparison with females.

The issue of parasuicide is also of great concern. The latest figures which show 11,200 people presented at accident and emergency units with evidence of self-harm do not take into consideration those who presented to their GPs and those who do not present for any assistance. Urgent research into attempted suicide is absolutely necessary because approximately one third of people who took their lives had previously attempted suicide. Psychiatric patients are ten times more likely to take their lives than the community average. In the first weeks after discharge from psychiatric hospital, people are between 100 and 200 times more at risk of suicide.

In young people, it is often undiagnosed depression that is the problem. We must educate people who are in trouble or despair to recognise that support is available for them to cope with and talk about their problems. Whatever the problem, the message must go out that there is another way and that there is a light at the end of the tunnel of depression. In this regard I commend organisations such as the Samaritans, the National Suicide Research Foundation, the Irish Association of Suicidology and the many other non-governmental organisations which have done so much to raise the profile of this issue in Irish society.

The decrease in the level of investment in our psychiatric services is unforgivable. In 1960, 20% of the total health budget was spent on psychiatric services but that has since greatly declined. Of course it was correct to reduce the numbers in psychiatric hospitals and integrate patients into the community where possible, but this requires similar investment as heretofore so as to provide the necessary multidisciplinary psychiatric services. This is not being done at present.

We must examine and debate the way in which the cultural and economic changes in Ireland over the past decade have detached people from traditional values and supports as well as the linkage between these changes and mental health or suicidal behaviour. The way in which individuals are influenced as they react to changes in their social life is central to the prevention of suicide.

Young people tend to be very hard on themselves. Success is an increasingly important goal in society, placing great pressure on young people. A common perception is that achievements are made through hard work and that failure is the responsibility of the individual. Society no longer appears capable of helping those who fail or perceive themselves to be failures. The uncertainties of life are increasing. Life seems to be dictated by what may be owned or bought and by the brands one wears. Young people are faced with choices that would have been unthinkable in previous generations. At the same time the cultural icons of the past, such as the church and the political establishment, have become debased in the eyes of the young. One may ask whether adolescents are more vulnerable to perceived failure or less likely to ask for help. The pressure to succeed academically at all costs is another issue which needs to be examined.

Suicide prevention is not only a health issue but also an educational one. Research, understanding and analysis of the pressures on young people are vital if we are to address the epidemic of suicide. We must regard suicide prevention as a multidimensional area that requires promotion and investment.

International research has proven that a link exists between the per capita alcohol consumption of a country and suicidal behaviour. Alcohol consumption leads to depression, which is a major factor in suicide and suicidal behaviour. Similarly, depressed people frequently turn to alcohol in the mistaken belief that it will improve their mood. Alcohol impairs judgment, reduces inhibition, increases risk taking behaviour and, most frequently among young people, may result in impulsive suicidal behaviour.

Gambling is another factor in terms of suicide. Recently, I introduced a Bill to this house to prevent children from gambling which, despite recommendations from an interdepartmental review group, was shamefully voted down by the Government. I understand that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform will re-examine this issue. The Leader of the House remarked that I was passionate about the subject. This was because I know people who committed or attempted to commit suicide due to problems arising from compulsive gambling. In many cases, these problems began when, as young people, they placed a few bob on the tote.

The national suicide review group was set up in 1998. To date, few of its 86 recommendations have been implemented. We have seen reports on mental health and strategy groups but I urge the Minister for State to implement the recommendations of the task force at the earliest possible opportunity.