I thank the Ceann Comhairle for giving me the opportunity to refer to the recent report by the European Child Safety Alliance on national action to address the issue of child intentional injury. The report shows that Ireland has the highest rate of suicide among young females under 20 years of age, 2.5 times the European average, and the second highest rate of youth suicide among males, 5.12 per 100,000, compared to the European average of 2.39. Lithuania is the only country ahead of us when it comes to male youth suicide. These are unacceptable levels and urgently need to be addressed. These findings also confirm the findings of research conducted by the World Health Organization on the issue of youth suicide in Ireland.
Research shows that the reasons children and young people die by suicide are complex, often involving an interconnection of different factors and events. Difficulties in relationships either with a partner or a family member are a commonly cited reason for youth suicide. Parental conflict and rigid family systems can be factors influencing suicide behaviour.
Events that have an impact on a young person’s identity, autonomy and independence can also play a part, with depression, hopelessness and a history of sexual abuse. These factors are present more in young people who make more serious suicide attempts. Substance misuse, aggression, risky sexual behaviour and health problems have been found to be related to suicidality. A negative perception of body image and a lack of attention to their own physical needs are seen as risks for suicidal behaviour in some young people.
Research also found that knowing someone who had attempted suicide, having symptoms of depression, alcohol misuse, violence and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender relationships were associated with an increased risk of suicide. A number of studies have looked at factors that make people more vulnerable to repeating a suicide attempt. These include low self-esteem, early puberty, relationship difficulties, being physically impaired owing to illness or injury or substance or alcohol misuse, hopelessness, a previous suicide attempt or a recent suicide attempt by a friend.
Studies of suicides of homeless young people found that they had reported feeling trapped by their experiences. Factors that had made them vulnerable to suicide were drug use, experiencing familial abuse as a child, low self-esteem and feeling lonely.
Family functioning is more important than family structure. The way a family functions in particular relationships with parents can both be a protective and a vulnerability factor.
The effect of the media is often open to question, with some studies reporting that young people and adults were less likely to have copycat effects, but it is thought that reports of suicide among teenagers may be an influence in imitative behaviour.
