High rate of deaths by suicide in Tipperary
Tipperary has one of the highest rates of deaths by suicide in the country.
Figures released by the Central Statistics Office reveal that 98 people died by suicide in Tipperary between 2018 and 2021.
That was the fourth highest by county, behind Dublin, Cork and Galway.
It was also the second highest per head of population behind Cavan.
The figures are a stark reminder of the mental health crisis in Tipperary and the urgent need for greater investment in community and acute mental health services.
Following the release of the figures political representatives in Tipperary have reiterated their concerns about the level of mental health care services in the county.
“Currently Tipperary has a skeleton mental health service and patients in need of acute in-patient care are forced to travel to Ennis or Kilkenny to access psychiatric beds,” said Brendan Guckian, Social Democrats representative in Tipperary. Sinn Féin TD Martin Browne has demanded that a more suitable environment for mental health presentations is provided at the emergency department of Tipperary University Hospital.
The Cashel-based TD called for any remodelling of the emergency department in Clonmel to make provision for additional room for mental health patients.