The increase in the number of people, particularly males, taking their own lives in Ireland in recent years is a major cause for concern. In 1998, suicide ranked as the fourth highest cause of years of potential life lost for males in Ireland, superseded only by deaths from circulatory diseases, cancers and respiratory diseases. In order to address this important public health problem, the Chief Executive Officers of the health boards commissioned a study from the Departments of Public Health, on the epidemiological factors associated with suicide.