Limerick coroner says suicide verdicts must be recorded

THE Coroner for Limerick says it would be wrong of him not to return verdicts of suicide and to do so would be a disservice to those who have taken their own lives.

John McNamara made his comments following the inquest of a man who drowned after he entered the river Shannon earlier this year.

While members of the man’s family accepted the facts surrounding his death, they commented that he did not want to die and was planning for the future. “He wouldn’t have killed himself,” said one relative.

Mr McNamara noted the family’s views but said a verdict of suicide was appropriate in the circumstances.

He accepted there is a presumption in law against a verdict of suicide and that the evidence to support such a verdict must be compelling.

In the specific case, he noted that gardai had obtained CCTV footage showing the 41-year-old entering the water.

He told the man’s relatives that it is important for “statistical reasons” that verdicts of suicide are recorded by coroners across the country.

He said suicide is a problem in Limerick and across the country and that the statistics will influence and inform various State agencies who have been tasked with dealing with the issue.

“If we were to rule them (and record other verdicts) there would be no suicides in the country,” he said the only other option was an ‘open verdict’.

Mr McNamara said it is incumbent on everyone to do what they can to reduce the number of suicides in Ireland.

“If we don’t face it down, we are doing the people who died a disservice,” he stated.