Republican News · Thursday 2 May 2002

Appalling ignorance

Jim McDaid's remarks on the motives of people who commit suicide (he called them "selfish bastards") were a disgrace, given that the Fianna Fáil man is a doctor and should know better. His comments are more harmful because they were made when he was a serving minister.

Suicide is one of the biggest killers of young people in Ireland today. The all too high suicide rate is a sign of the breakdown of the traditional sense of community throughout the country, particularly in depopulated rural areas.

In this paper in March, we reported on a meeting addressed by Magill journalist Phil Mac Giolla Bháin, who has practised and taught social work for many years.

He described his work with the Donegal Mountain Rescue Team. He said that it has become in effect the unofficial Donegal suicide recovery unit, finding the bodies of predominantly young men who have given our society the biggest vote of no confidence it can receive from its own people.

The terrible pit of darkness that people go into before they commit suicide is overwhelming and cannot be described as selfish. People with depression need compassion and care, not to be dictated to.

As a person with a high public and influential profile, Dr McDaid would be better off promoting discussion on the subject. He could also use his influence to ensure that resources are provided for wonderful groups like AWARE. With very limited resources, AWARE acts in a preventative way by raising awareness in colleges, schools and youth groups about the dangers of depression.

Lethal merry-go-round

On Friday last, 26 April, armed ships left Sellafield to go to Japan and bring back the ill-fitting radioactive rods that were the subject of falsified documents last year.

The town of Barrow-on-Furness was turned into a Crossmaglen-like armed camp to ensure the safe departure of the fleet. The radioactive cargo is due back sometime in August next.

This whole episode raises questions of security and safety for people living along the Irish east coast.

Why is the government permitting this lethal cargo to do a merry-go-round in the Irish Sea, with the attending risk of attack or accident and the consequent destruction of our people's health and environment?

Healthy skepticism

Fianna Fáil's manifesto promises on hospital waiting lists are incredible.

They are promising to end hospital waiting lists within two years, but they were in government for five years and only published their Health Strategy last November.

They presided over growing waiting lists and chaos in Accident & Emergency departments. They cut services in hospitals. They have failed to reform the two-tier health system.

Fianna Fáil must be judged on their record and not on their promises.