Rates of self-harm last year were 19 per cent lower than the peak rate recorded in 2010.
The rate in 2024 was also 5 per cent lower than that in 2023 as a reduction in presentations continued.
A total of 12,621 self-harm presentations were made to hospitals in Ireland last year by 9,436 individuals, National Self-Harm Registry Ireland figures showed.
The reduction was, however, “contrary to early concerns and expectations” of an increase in self-harm and suicidal behaviour during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, the registry said.
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The rate of individuals presenting to hospital following self-harm was 181 per 100,000 last year, 5 per cent lower than 2023 and 19 per cent lower than the peak of 223 per 100,000 recorded in 2010.
Dr Mary Joyce, manager of the registry, said the decrease in the self-harm rate was “reassuring” and followed a reduction of 3 per cent in the rate reported in 2023. There was little to no change between 2021 and 2022.
A reduction of 7 per cent was reported in the self-harm rate among women in 2024. There has been an overall decrease of 13 per cent since 2021 in these cases.
Like previous years, the highest self-harm rate continued to be among adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 at 652 per 100,000.
However, this has been decreasing year-on-year since 2021 when it was 888 per 100,000.
The peak rate for men in 2024 was among 25 to 29-year-olds at 373 per 100,000, which was a change from the previous two years when the peak rate was among 20-24-year-olds at about 400 per 100,000.
The rate of self-harm among men overall was 163 per 100,000 last year, 2 per cent lower than 2023.
Having gathered information on the care being provided to individuals presenting to hospital with self-harm last year, a third of the presentations (3,520) were attending mental health services at the time.
In a further 2 per cent of presentations (225), the patient had been referred to such services and was awaiting an appointment.
The registry said trends highlighted in the report for 2024 underlined the need to “further develop outpatient and inpatient mental health services” for those engaging in self-harm.
“In addition, activities to reduce access to means, early intervention and prevention measures and the delivery of campaigns that promote awareness and information about the safe sales of over-the-counter medications are critical to reducing the incidence of self-harm in Ireland,” it said.
National Suicide Research Foundation head Dr Paul Corcoran said the National Clinical Programme for Self-Harm and Suicide-Related Ideation was “likely to have been a notable contributor” to the reducing rate.
He said the treatment programme had “greatly enhanced emergency department services for self-harm since it was established in 2016”.
Anyone affected by issues raised in this article can contact Samaritans Ireland on 116 123
