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Mick Wallace Screengrab/Oireachtas.ie

'He's gone and he needn't have been gone': Mick Wallace gives impassioned speech about suicide

Wexford, where the TD is from, has the highest suicide rate in the country.

MICK WALLACE HAS asked for more funding for mental health services in Wexford, which has the highest suicide rate in the country.

Speaking in the Dáil today, the Independents 4 Change TD said he doesn’t “personalise” the issue or “blame any one minister”. However, he said action must be taken.

He spoke about a man he “had a pint with … a few weeks before he died”, adding: “He’s gone and he needn’t have been gone.”

Wallace also said he’s aware of a 13-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl who died by suicide in Wexford in the last month.

“The people of Wexford will tell you that the services are not there for them, they’re watching young people die. There isn’t the help that they need there for them.

“Wexford has the highest suicide rate in the country, there’s a serious problem … something has to give,” he stated. 

‘We have to take action’

Responding, junior minister Finian McGrath said he accepted what Wallace was saying, noting that the suicide rate in Wexford in recent years has been 11.1 per 100,000 of the population, while the national average is 8.8 per 100,000.

I absolutely totally agree with you that we have to do something in relation to this particular issue, and the fact that you mentioned a 13-year-old an a 15-year-old actually makes the other situation even worse.

McGrath said he would raise the issue with Jim Daly, Minister of State for Mental Health, adding that the Department of Health and HSE “will continue to enhance the policies and services to reduce the incidence of suicide in ireland”.

“We have to take action, suicide is a very serious problem, we can’t afford to be losing young people,” McGrath stated. 

Need help? Support is available:

  • Samaritans 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.ie
  • Aware 1800 80 48 48 (depression, anxiety)
  • Pieta House 1800 247 247 or email mary@pieta.ie (suicide, self-harm)
  • Teen-Line Ireland 1800 833 634 (for ages 13 to 19)
  • Childline 1800 66 66 66 (for under 18s)

A list of HSE and HSE-funded services can be found here

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    Mute Luke Evans
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    Feb 10th 2015, 3:27 PM

    There’s tragedy in life like the death of a child .Things never get back to the way they were. RIP to all those who died. Unimaginable heartache for their families …

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    Mute Theresa Kavanagh Connell
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    Feb 10th 2015, 12:46 PM

    Thank you for changing the headline. Those four deaths are equally tragic and all four were in the wrong place at the wrong time. It’s unfair to think the family of the little girl is hurting more than the families of the three men. RIP to all of them.

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    Mute Aoife Barry
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    Feb 10th 2015, 12:59 PM

    Hi Theresa, it wasn’t intended for the three men to be ‘treated like they didn’t matter’. They were mentioned in the excerpt just below the original headline.

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    Mute Theresa Kavanagh Connell
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    Feb 10th 2015, 1:06 PM

    I know they were aoife but every death is tragic and should be treated equally. You mentioned them but didn’t feel their death was as tragic.

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    Mute vv7k7Z3c
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    Feb 10th 2015, 1:25 PM

    Hi Theresa, it’s incorrect to say I didn’t feel their death was as tragic. They were not in the headline but were in the subheading right under the headline, and also in the first line of the piece.

    I understand your concern of course, and did change the headline, but it’s not fair to make an assumption about what I do or do not feel about these men’s deaths.

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    Mute Theresa Kavanagh Connell
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    Feb 10th 2015, 1:44 PM

    Why weren’t they in the headline? Can you explain your reason to give them a little mention?

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    Mute Arthur Pewty
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    Feb 10th 2015, 3:36 PM

    relax Theresa, she has already clarified.

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    Mute Lisa Jones
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    Feb 10th 2015, 12:07 PM

    Sounds reminiscent of the incident in Scotland….

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    Mute Theresa Kavanagh Connell
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    Feb 10th 2015, 12:08 PM

    Four people died here so I don’t get the focus on one person. Your headline is off side.

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    Mute Darren Callaghan
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    Feb 10th 2015, 12:22 PM

    Have you got kids Theresa because losing a 4 year old is cruel hence the headline focusing on the loss of the kids life who was really just beginning life, think before you comment would be my advice to you

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    Mute Theresa Kavanagh Connell
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    Feb 10th 2015, 12:28 PM

    Those three men might have children who are now without a father. Grief is not just for parents. I personally find the story one sided and the three men just added like they didn’t matter. It’s just how I see it.

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    Mute poisonivy
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    Feb 10th 2015, 4:15 PM

    Give it a rest will ya. There’s always one person who can manage to be offended by everything

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    Mute Seán Leahy
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    Feb 10th 2015, 5:25 PM

    Why are arguing about whose death is more tragic? Have a bit of compassion and think before you type.

    RIP to the four people here, I hope and pray the grandmother recovers. My thoughts are with the families left behind :(

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    Mute Mike Clinton
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    Feb 10th 2015, 3:15 PM

    Horrific,I remember something similar happening on the long mile road many years ago when a container fell off a lorry.
    How desperately sad for the families of the bereaved.

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    Mute Dan The Man
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    Feb 10th 2015, 5:56 PM

    Theresa untwist your knickers

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    Mute conor hickey
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    Feb 10th 2015, 5:23 PM

    What were the ages of the men?

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