Yesterday, on World Suicide Prevention Day, we at Pieta took the opportunity to call on the government to make suicide and self-harm prevention a top priority in Ireland. We're calling for No More Silence.
As a charity dedicated to this cause, we know firsthand the growing pressure on our services, which has only intensified in recent years due to increasing demand and limited funding.
We marked the day by releasing our 2023 Annual Report, and a new five-year plan, Hope In Action. Both highlight the urgent need for stronger investment in suicide and self-harm prevention. Thank you to all who were in attendance on this important day.
Suicide remains the leading cause of death among 15 to 34-year-olds in Ireland, with one in five people experiencing suicidal thoughts. Around 500 lives are lost to suicide each year—nearly three times the number of deaths from road accidents.
In the past year alone, we responded to over 103,000 calls and texts from individuals in crisis, and provided nearly 51,000 hours of intervention and bereavement counselling. These services reached nearly 7,000 people in person and over 4,600 through remote counselling. The numbers reflect the immense need for support, but also highlight the strain on our resources.
Our CEO, Stephanie Manahan, stressed the importance of securing government support to ensure the sustainability of our services. As she pointed out, while it’s heartening to see more people reaching out for help, we are facing a serious challenge in maintaining these life-saving services without increased funding.
She shared that last year was one of our busiest yet, with over 100,000 calls and texts to our helpline, translating to more than 3 million minutes of conversations that may have saved lives. The data in our annual report is clear—the mental health crisis is deepening, and without additional resources, it will become increasingly difficult to meet the rising demand.
Our five-year plan, Hope In Action, outlines how we aim to enhance our community engagement and develop more targeted services to better serve those at risk. Public donations have been, and continue to be, crucial for our work, but they alone are not enough to sustain our long-term goals.
We are always grateful for the support of the Irish public. It is thanks to your generosity, donations and fundraising that we can continue to keep our doors open. But if we are to make a lasting impact, we need the government to provide substantial, ongoing investment in suicide and self-harm prevention services.
On World Suicide Prevention Day, we made our message clear: the time for action is now.
We must ensure that every individual in crisis receives the support they need and deserve.
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