A new study, published the national suicide bereavement charity HUGG shows the rate of suicide in Ireland is 20-25% higher than is currently being reported.
This is a result from the burden of proof required of coroners when determining someone has died by suicide. Countries such as England and Wales have changed the burden of proof from being ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ to ‘balance of probability’. In Ireland, no such change has occurred, which would lead to 100-125 additional deaths assessed as suicide if the Irish coroners’ courts were to update their standards in line with international practices.
More information can be found on HUGG’s website.
To read the full report, please click here.