The North Eastern Health Board has opened a helpline for anyone concerned about a person they believe is in danger of taking their own life. It was launched by the Taoiseach yesterday.
The helpline number will be publicised locally and is aimed at parents, family, friends, teachers and other professionals. The NEHB covers Louth, Meath, Monaghan and Cavan, and figures show that in 1997 there were 36 suicides in its region, of which 86 per cent were male and 44 per cent were under 30 years of age. Some cases still before the coroner's courts may increase that figure.
A study of 857 teenagers found that 12.5 per cent had admitted self-harm or suicidal thoughts and 23.5 per cent had expressed suicidal thoughts. Other initiatives include anti-bullying programmes in schools, awareness training programmes for GPs and research into depression in adolescents.
