Community involvement key to securing Pieta House West

  By JACQUELINE HOGGE TUAM'S hopes of securing a Pieta House facility to serve the West moved a step closer this week when a committee was formed to identify a suitable location for the service that supports people with suicidal thoughts and those who self harm. Pieta House founder Joan Freeman addressed a crowd of over 50 people who were given the opportunity to ask questions about the service and the likelihood of it being located in the town. Ms Freeman said plans were progressing well to establish a Pieta House West in Tuam but that she had certain concerns regarding the proposed location of Toghermore House. [private] 'We need advice regarding Toghermore House, is it the right location as the service needs to be as accessible as possible for everyone in Galway and the western region,' she said. 'We need to know that the location chosen will have adequate public transport links, as we can't assume that everyone has a car. 'We need a blanket approach to suicide in Galway, for everyone to be an expert on the subject, to know the signs to watch out for and the help they can direct people who need it towards. That is what is needed to tackle suicide. 'I have received a letter from a person in Tuam who asked for us not to locate in Toghermore as this person said they personally would be ashamed to access services up there. While I take this theory on board we need to stop categorising people as if they're mental. 'This is why the community needs to get involved with a blanket approach where local information informs the decision-making process.' Local businessman John Concannon, who chaired the meeting said he had identified a target of €150,000 to be raised over the next 12 months to support a Pieta House in the region. Ideal location 'Toghermore appears to be the ideal location but if Joan is nervous about its accessibility then we need to keep looking at other options,' he said. 'Ideally I'd like to have three options and to be making a decision on one of them over the coming weeks, but there is broad support out there for Toghermore and the idea is to renovate a building on that campus, which the HSE is supportive of. 'Suicide affects so many people, perfectly healthy people, so if we can do something to prevent this happening then it's very important we do so.' Cllr Pete Roche, who lost his youngest son to suicide last year, also addressed the meeting where he implored people to do everything to raise awareness of the issue in order to prevent more lives being lost. 'Colin's death was the worst thing to happen to us as a family, it was the worst decision he could have made for us even if he thought it was the best decision for him,' he said. 'Suicide rocks families to the core and a service such as Pieta House can only help us reduce the frightening statistics regarding suicide in this country so I commend John Concannon and all those working to bring this facility to the west.' Joan Freeman added that only by communities taking ownership of the issue of suicide would there be any reduction in the number of people taking their lives. 'A national approach to tackling suicide isn't working, the only way is to take ownership of it locally and that is why if a Pieta House does come to Tuam the community will need to embrace it and make it their own,' she said. 'We have seen 4,000 people in the first five years of Pieta House, but this year alone we have seen 2,000 people, which is a good thing as it's evidence that more and more people are seeking help which they know is available to them.' John Concannon said he had already received pledges of €25,000 and said that if a collective effort was made, the funding could be raised to ensure a Pieta House became a reality in the region. The entrepreneur, who donated €25,000 to the charity's Lucan branch during his involvement with the Secret Millionaire documentary on RTE earlier this year, said the response he had received from the public since the programme proved the willingness of people to support such a cause. 'Any money we raise locally will stay here in Tuam and I'm encouraged by what has been a very positive meeting here tonight,' he said. 'The next step now is to get drawings of exactly what is needed in terms of design and to form a committee that can drive this forward.' The new committee comprises of John Joyce, Mary Murphy, Peter Nicklin, Linda Powell and Tom Reilly, who are due to hold their first meeting this week. [/private]