Some taking their own lives in road crashes, Reilly suggests

MINISTER FOR Health Dr James Reilly suggested some people may be taking their own lives in road crashes. He was replying to Fine Gael TD Dan Neville who said some self-inflicted deaths were not reported in suicide statistics.

Dr Reilly said discussing the statistics seemed cold and unfeeling, but there was a need to be aware of the increasing number of deaths by suicide. “There is no doubt that the suspicion arises in certain incidents, such as single-vehicle fatal accidents, that suicide was involved,” he added.

Dr Reilly said the suicide rate in Ireland had undergone a gradual decline, from 497 deaths in 2003 to 458 in 2007, giving cause for optimism that action taken at local and national level was having a positive impact.

However, the number of deaths by suicide increased by 10.5 per cent to 506 in 2008. The provisional figures were 527 in 2009 and 486 in 2010.

“These are staggering statistics and they show that more people lose their lives from suicide than on the roads,” he added.

“The increases in 2008 and 2009 were largely in the middle- age groups, which we think were severely affected by the economic downturn.” Male suicides outnumbered female suicides by a ratio of four to one, and in some younger age groups by seven to one.

Mr Neville said while there had been several positive developments, Ireland was coming from a very low base because of historical neglect.

Joe Higgins (Socialist Party) said the number of people waiting for colonoscopies, used in the detection of bowel cancer – which was now at more than 2,400 – was shocking.

Dr Reilly said he had no hesitation in saying the numbers waiting and the longer wait times were unacceptable. This was the reason the Health Service Executive had put in place a specific waiting list initiative to address the issue.

Independent Waterford TD John Halligan was ordered from the chamber when he refused to resume his seat after complaining about the time allotted to him to raise job losses at TalkTalk in his constituency.