Peter Fitzpatrick TD has outlined a particularly harrowing day in his busy town cetre constituency office where no less than four people came into his office threatening suicide. According to the Independent TD his staff are being overwhelmed trying to help these people and he urged the government to help.
Fitzpatrick was speaking to Minister Eamonn Ryan in the Dáil when he outlind eh seriousness of the situation.
“On Monday, 15 May, I thought I was going in for a normal day in my busy constituency office, but it was not a normal day. On four different occasions people came into my office and threatened to commit suicide. The first person who came into my office got a lethal injection last week and was taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital.
“The staff kept him alive. The second person was walking the streets, had no accommodation and wanted to jump off the bridge. The third person was a lady who was going to be evicted and had nowhere to go. She wanted to commit suicide. The last person was there due to a family dispute. Two brothers did not get on together and one of them was put out of the house. He was sleeping in a graveyard. People found him there. He wanted to commit suicide. Louth County Council does a fantastic job, but its staff cannot look after medical issues. I plead with the Minister.
“Does he think it is right for people to sleep in graveyards, in parks or on the streets? I have been a Deputy for the last 12 years, but I have never seen things as bad. When people come into my constituency office, they think I can give them a house or put them in a hostel. We need the Minister’s Government to help these people.
“I have the phone numbers and contact details of the four people and I will work closely with the Minister, but my staff are finding it nearly impossible to deal with these people. We need help, we need training and so on. Please help us,” urged Deputy Fitzpatrick.
