Fianna Fáil Seanad Group Leader, Senator Catherine Ardagh has said the rise in suicide rates among young women living in Dublin South-Central is a deeply worrying trend that can be preventing from continuing.

The Dublin based Senator raised the matter in Seanad Éireann last week as it became known that at least 18 women in Dublin South Central died tragically by suicide last year.

She said, “Much emphasis is placed on highlighting the prevalence of suicide among young Irish men but we must recognise also that there has been a worrying rise in the number of women dying by suicide in our community.

“These women were mothers with young children; some may have been early school leavers while others struggled in homelessness, women with adverse childhood experiences and living in difficult circumstances including drug or alcohol addiction.

“Psychiatrists working with the Health Service Executive locally have recognised that these statistics are unique to our area and have raised their concern regarding the growing number ending their lives by suicide.

“I believe that it is no coincidence that these women lived in one of the most socially deprived and economically neglected in the country. The challenges faced by the women in our area who have sadly died by suicide undoubtedly contributed to their ability to maintain a good mental health.

“It is far from a myth that social inequality and living in an area of socioeconomic deprivation can affect a person’s deteriorating mental health.

“Local and national State agencies and organisations need to be better resources by Government to support those in unemployment, emergency accommodation, overwhelmed by growing debt or suffering in addiction.

“Our collective focus as legislators and elected representatives should remain on implementing measures in the community aimed at suicide prevention and addressing the risks associated with driving women to suicide.

“Throughout the month of May we have been rightfully encouraged to promote positive mental health and make a real difference to a person who feels pushed towards ending their life.

The Senator concluded, “We know that death by suicide can so often be prevented when the adequate supports are provided and made accessible. There has never been a greater need to ensure that fewer Dublin women feel such hopelessness.”

- Onus is still on Government to urgently deliver new housing stock -

Fianna Fáil Seanad Group Leader, Senator Catherine Ardagh says the lack of regulations enforced on professional Airbnb listers is contributing to the steady decline in available long-term rental accommodation in Dublin.

Research carried out by leading property website Daft.ie has found that a growing number of landlords in the city are choosing to let their properties to tourists rather than long-term tenants.

The Senator raised the matter during Order of Business in Seanad Éireann earlier today.

She said, “The housing situation in the city is a peculiar one in that we have tourists staying in residential accommodation while Ireland’s homeless people are living in hotels.

“Dublin City Council spent close to €100 million on emergency accommodation last year. Some city centre hotels were paid over €4 million euro to provide rooms for those in need of somewhere to live.

“As of yesterday, there were just 1,258 long-term rental properties available in Dublin via the website Daft.ie. There are over 200 more homes available to let from professional listers on Airbnb.

“Not only is this taking much needed units out of rental market, the practice of renting a property to tourists tends to create hassle and disturbance for locals in the vicinity of Airbnb’s popular with those visiting the city for extended periods.

“Airbnb is an issue in the Capital but really the core problem is the sheer lack of rental units available to those hoping to settle and live in Dublin. It is easy to remedy the poor rental situation by delivering new housing supply.

"This Government has an opportunity to examine our party’s proposals to regulate this dubious behaviour by adopting a 90 day limit on short term Airbnb lettings.

She concluded, “Despite our Bill having been introduced in the Oireachtas and the problems it aims to fix being repeatedly highlighted - no legislative action has been taken to sort the problem of short term letting platforms."

- Minister Harris must guarantee that no other women face court proceedings to identify flaws in the system -

Fianna Fáil Seanad Group Leader, Senator Catherine Ardagh has said that the scandalous mismanagement of sensitive and important information by Cervical Check is symptomatic of the shameful approach adopted by the HSE to deal with system failures.

The Dublin based Senator raised the matter during Order of Business in Seanad Éireann earlier this afternoon.

She stated, “Women across Dublin who have, up until last week, placed their faith in the Cervical Check are now justifiably concerned about their own experiences with the national screening programme, and particularly with the results of their smear tests. 

“The scandalous mismanagement of such sensitive and important information has heightened anxiety among thousands of women across Dublin. It is a damning indictment of the HSE’s approach to responding to system failures that it took the ordeal which Vicky Phelan was put through in order for the public to learn of the broader errors.

“It is a chilling fact too that as many as 17 women at the centre of the Cervical Check controversy have passed away without full knowledge of their diagnosis. It is imperative that women who received delayed diagnoses are not forced through the courts process to establish the details of what happened in these cases.
 
“The public rightfully expect the full disclosure of what mistakes were made by Cervical Check and how. Minister Simon Harris must ensure that the independent inquiry announced by the Government is established without delay and that a detailed report on the controversy is published as soon as possible,” concluded Senator Ardagh.