Sir, - As a psychotherapist and a priest, I read with interest the article "Tackling suicide in schools" (EL, January 30th). Suicide is about death. Clearly, we need to discuss death in Ireland today. We need to ask ourselves the following question: Is there anything wrong with suicide? Is there anything wrong with euthanasia? Is there anything wrong with abortion? What, if anything, happens after death?Whether we are Christians, Muslims, humanists or anything else, we are entitled to ask these questions and children are entitled to have them discussed in school. We can then make informed judgements.Death, and not just suicide, should be discussed in our homes, in housing estates, in the media, in our schools and universities and even in our churches. Unfortunately, it appears to have become a taboo subject and as a result many people, and not just those connected with suicide, are paying a fearsome price.As far as I can see, it is no longer politically correct to discuss death and its aftermath in our Catholic churches or schools and in our parliament. I don't know what goes on in Protestant churches, schools or mosques.Is it any wonder that there are so many suicides when we are so much into avoidance or minimalism? - Yours, etc.,
Fr Michael Golden, Marist Rehabilitation Centre, Athlone, Co Westmeath.