Spate of Mayo suicides prompts calls for more support services
Members of Mayo County Council have called for the local authority to spearhead an awareness campaign around mental health and suicide prevention after a recent spate of tragic deaths.
Members of Mayo County Council have called for the local authority to spearhead an awareness campaign around mental health and suicide prevention after a recent spate of tragic deaths.
Raising the issue at last week's council meeting, Kiltimagh-based Cllr Adrian Forkan said there were several untimely and tragic deaths in his area recently that had left the “whole community shocked and traumatised". Extending sympathy to all impacted, he said: “We have to do more to put supports in place; to tell people there is always tomorrow and that something can be done.”
Cllr Michael Kilcoyne, who runs an undertaking business in Castlebar, said the issue needed urgent attention.
“These tragedies have great impact on their families and also the whole parish including the schools. Sometimes people are not availing of the services available or maybe come at a wrong time when they are closed.
"It is not up to us to judge. Some people find themselves in the darkest of of places and should be told about what help is available and that needs to be prioritised in the coming weeks and months.
"This causes terrible grief for families and in some cases I have seen where parents are gone a short time later because their hearts are broken."
Erris-based Cllr Gerry Coyle said he recently attended the funerals of two people who died tragically and urged the council to do whatever it could to address the issue of suicide.
"Even with the ads we as a council put out there, if we could even add a phone number for support services to them. We never ever know how many people can be saved by a simple action we do or a word we say. But this is difficult to talk about. We have grieving families, grieving friends and we don’t know when it is going to knock at our own door.”
Cllr Coyle appealed to council management, asking: “Can we at least please put the numbers of the Samaritans, Pieta House and mental health services around the council building here and also on our social media. Just the contact numbers of those who will speak to these people because every one of them is loved by their parents, family and friends, and suddenly in one instance they are gone.”
Cathaoirleach Cllr Sean Carey welcomed the suggestions and supported the call for the council management to follow up on them.
- Published as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
