Paschal Donohoe (Fine Gael)

The first time I heard of suicide was when as a young man I heard that Kurt Cobain had taken his life. In his suicide note he wrote that it was "better to burn out than to fade away". Many young men in our society learn about suicide through popular culture. We must examine how that knowledge is disseminated through Internet sites and music lyrics and act accordingly. I encourage the Minister of State to come down heavily on groups and websites which do not take their responsibilities seriously enough. While I know this is a problem for young women, there are too many young men who see these sites in an unregulated environment and receive the worst possible education and information on this subject.

The vulnerability of men and women who leave school between the ages of 16 and 18 increases intensely once they have fallen out of the network. I encourage the Minister of State to work with the National Educational Welfare Board and ensure that it has adequate resources.