Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has been strongly criticised for saying yesterday that he did not know why people who moaned and complained about the economy did not commit suicide, despite a swift apology for the comment.
The chief executive of Aware, a group that supports people with depression, said several callers to the organisation felt hurt and isolated by Mr Ahern's remarks.
"The comments show a gross lack of understanding of suicide," according to Geraldine Clare, who said Mr Ahern was equating people who died by suicide with "cribbers and moaners" while portraying himself as someone positive who got things done.
Maureen Bolger, who set up Teen Line Ireland after her son killed himself, told Newstalk FM that the Taoiseach should resign if he could not understand the effect of suicide on families.
Mr Noel Smyth, chairman of the 3Ts (Turning The Tide of Suicide), said Mr Ahern's comments were "unfortunate" but it acknowledged his apology:
"In fact Bertie Ahern has been one of the politicians who has been very helpful to us in the 3Ts," he said. "It's important to keep some perspective on this."
Fine Gael TD, Dan Neville said Mr Ahern's comments displayed "an appallingly poor sign of understanding of suicide at the highest level in the country", adding that his apology showed that he was still not conscious of the impact of his remarks.
"It is a dismal indicator of the mindset at the highest level in the country that the Taoiseach can so casually make a remark like this about suicide.
"By doing so he fails to understand the message which is given to the many people who have experienced suicidal tendencies and is unconscious of the deep hurt that people who are bereaved by suicide experience when this issue is used in such a careless fashion.
