Eamonn Coghlan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I, too, pay my respects to the parents of young Donal Walsh who passed away - his mum, Elma, and his dad, Fionnbar. As somebody who has worked for many years with Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin in the area of fundraising, I have seen many young children who have passed through the hospital pass away. Young Donal was diagnosed with cancer at 12 years of age and he had the courage and the wisdom to refuse to give up on what was termed "a death sentence" when he was diagnosed. According to Donal, every day he went to the hospital was like a trip to hell. When one thinks of what is happening in the world today, whether strikes, economic crises and the various issues which come up in the Seanad and in the Dáil, the death of this young man puts life and the meaning of life into perspective.

He became an advocate for suicide prevention in a television appearance and in the press articles written about him. He viewed suicide as a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Given that suicide is one of the leading causes of death among young people in Ireland, perhaps Donal's death should not be in vain and that is time for the Government to put extra resources into mental health, in particular for young people.