A total of 274 people presented to A&E in Portlaoise with injuries from self-harm in 2015, Portlaoise County Council heard this week.
The figure was disclosed by Josephine Rigney, resource officer for suicide prevention in Laois/Offaly
Ms Rigney was outlining the national suicide prevention strategy and plans for Laois.
She described suicide as “a very complex issue”.
Figures recorded for Laois were between 6 and 8 deaths in 2014, 5 in 2015, 6 in 2013 and 10 in 2012.
When councillors said these figures were much lower than their own experience, Ms Rigney said there could be a number of reasons for this.
From what she had heard anecdotally she said she believed those figures are not reflective.
Compassion
She said some coroners do not record deaths by suicide out of compassion for families as some families may not want it recorded as a suicide.
Nationally there were 399 deaths by suicide recorded in 2016. Ms Rigney said these are provisional and will probably rise by another 50.
“The overall rate has been decreasing,” she said.
The rate of suicide is higher for males than females.
However, the issue of self-harming is higher among young females, in particular.
There are 7 national goals as part of Connecting for Life – Ireland’s national strategy to reduce suicide between 2015 and 2020.
A final report is expected to be ready in early 2018.
“Hopefully it is not a strategy that sits on a shelf,” Ms Rigney said.
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