Our boy, 14, took his life after being medicated for school anxiety – urgent law change needed to give families closure
Promising young
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Stephanie and John McGill Lynch were heartbroken after their son's death
Credit: Collins Photos
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Jake McGill Lynch was just 14 years old when he took his life in 2013
The youngster wanted to become a
Jake, from Clondalkin in
Fluoxetine is the generic name for the anti-depressant called Prozac, which can have the side effect of suicidal ideation — a side effect that is at an increased risk for under-18s.
Jake's mother Stephanie told
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However, just 46 days after he started taking Prozac, he took his own life.
Stephanie said: 'Jake was the most amazing little boy. He is as pure as the driven snow. He'd never kissed a girl. He'd never been to a youth club.
'He was what I call my little geeky boy. He was a dream. Super intelligent. Super kind.
"An individual who kept his friends close. He had them since he was small.
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'Jake had dreams. He had plans. He wanted to become a garda. Jake had no depression.
"No history of suicidal ideation or self harm.
'NEVER GOT TO SIT EXAM'
'He was medicated for
'Jake was everything you want in a human being. He is really missed because he is loved so much.'
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Jake had written an email the day before he killed himself where he talked about being '
Jake's parents Stephanie and John faced a 15-month battle in the Coroner's
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The coroner gave an open verdict on Jake's death and rejected the verdict of suicide because the teenager was not in his right mind.
However, the coroner would not elaborate on the
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Stephanie and John were in
This change — dubbed Jake's Law by Sinn Fein — would give some
'Jake was the most amazing little boy. He is as pure as the driven snow. He'd never kissed a girl. He'd never been to a youth club."
Stephanie McGill Lynch
It could also impact insurance payouts, as some companies do not make payments in cases of suicide.
Sinn Fein's Padraig MacLochlainn had tried to make a similar change to the law as a Senator in 2017, but this was shot down by then Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan, who argued the verdict could be interpreted as apportioning blame on the
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'VINDICATION FOR JAKE'
Mental Health Minister Mary Butler today told the Dail that the Government would not be standing in the way of the legislation at the moment and allowed it to move to second stage unopposed.
A decision on whether to enact the amendment will be made by the Justice Minister when the legislative change comes to Dail's second stage.
For Jake's family, the change would help finally record the truth about what happened to their son.
Stephanie said: 'For us, this would be vindication for Jake.
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'You found cause of death. It could vindicate so many people.
'The main thing I think people should take away from it is that this can come to anybody's door.
TELLS THE TRUTH
'It has come to nearly everybody's door in Ireland — there isn't a family untouched by suicide, I don't think. It is up there with
"We're all about truth and this verdict, for me, tells the truth.
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'I'd like your readers to know that is what it's for. We're not saying, 'There's Jake, he's another suicide, another statistic,' because he is not just a statistic.'
Stephanie and John were joined in the Dail today by Jim and Vera Connell, whose son Darren took his own life at the age of 17 shortly after being prescribed a medicine for acne.
Darren was on doxycycline for just two weeks before he took his life — having never shown any symptoms of self harm or suicidal ideation.
The
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FAMILY CLOSURE
However, the research found there was not enough evidence at the moment to establish a link.
Sinn Fein TD Johnny Guirke today gave an emotional contribution to the Dail debate on the proposed change to the Coroner Act.
He said: 'I knew Darren. He was a great footballer. He played with my under-14s right up to minors.
"He was friends with my own son. He was looked up to by everybody.
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"He was a great young fella. He probably would be in Croke Park with the Meath team next Sunday if he was still around.
'I want to say how important this bill is to families like Darren's to give closure by having the correct verdict recorded.'
The Dail heard that Darren's family have asked for a meeting with the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Health to discuss what happened to their son in more detail.
IF you have been impacted by the contents of this article, there is help available 24/7 at Pieta on 1800 247 247, the Samaritans on 116 123, or online at the youth mental health support Jigsaw.ie.
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Sinn Fein's Mark Ward put forward an amendment to the Coroner's Act related to the issue
Credit: Damien Eagers - The Sun Dublin
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Darren Connell was a talented and passionate football player
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Sinn Fein's Johnny Guirke paid tribute to Darren
Credit: Johnny Guirke johnny.guirke@oireachtas.ie
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Irish Times
17-07-2025
- Irish Times
TD blames greyhound industry ‘greed' for ‘barbaric' surgery on dogs
The 'greed' of the greyhound industry is the reason for a 'barbaric and invasive' surgery, a TD has claimed. Sinn Féin's Dessie Ellis has called for a ban on surgical artificial insemination of greyhounds, which he said is already banned in countries like the UK, Sweden and the Netherlands. The Dublin North-West TD said it was 'not an isolated practice' and figures for the 10 years up to 2023 showed almost 5,000 greyhound litters were born in Ireland following this procedure. He added that 'in the last four years alone, over 500 surgical artificial inseminations were performed on racing and coursing greyhounds'. Raising the issue in the Dáil on Wednesday he said the procedure involves 'anaesthetising the female greyhound and making a small incision in her abdomen in order to lift the uterus out and inject semen directly into the uterus. READ MORE 'The uterus is then placed back into the body of the greyhound, and the wound is stitched up.' Mr Ellis pointed to the view of the British Veterinary Association that 'this practice is highly unethical' and very painful for greyhounds 'because the subsequent pregnancy will put additional pressure on the abdominal wounds'. He also welcomed the updating by the Veterinary Council of Ireland last year of its code of professional conduct to prohibit vets from carrying out the procedure. Greyhounds' lives are being put at risk by 'this non-vital surgical procedure' Mr Ellis added. 'It is well known that greyhounds are prone to certain complications like blood clotting, which can be exacerbated by this unnecessary surgical procedure,' he added. It causes unnecessary pain and stress and 'is nothing to do with the welfare of the dog, but everything to do with making money for their owners.' It is about 'the greed of the greyhound industry, and the money earned in winnings at the local dog track'. The Department of Agriculture held a public consultation on whether the practice should be banned. The submission deadline was July 26th 2024, but almost a year later the department has not published its conclusions. Minister of State Robert Troy, replying on behalf of Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon said the results will be published 'in due course' and 'will contribute to the legislative process'. Mr Ellis said this is a 'question of cruelty to animals, animal rights' and it is 'just not good enough to allow it drag on'. Mr Troy said the department 'is closely examining this issue and will be providing advice on the appropriate course of action in the near future'. The Minister added that the department takes its responsibility for animal welfare 'most seriously'. The Cabinet in March 2023 approved the report of a working group on the control of dogs recommending the prohibition of the practice in all breeds of dogs, he said. The Government's support for the greyhound industry is contingent on a guarantee of welfare standards being upheld by Rásaíocht Con Éireann (Greyhound Racing Ireland), he added. A minimum of 10 per cent of State funding for the agency, which has responsibility for the greyhound industry, is ring-fenced for animal welfare. Since 2019, it has spent €19.3 million on traceability care and welfare and a traceability system came into operation in January last year. 'The system provides a mechanism to ensure racing greyhounds are properly registered and traceable throughout their lives,' Mr Troy said.
Extra.ie
16-07-2025
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'Unanswered questions' linger over millionaire farmer's death
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Irish Times
16-07-2025
- Irish Times
Rachel Fehily: Why are the experiences of people born, like me, in Temple Hill forgotten?
I spent the first three months of my life in a contested space: Temple Hill in Blackrock , Dublin, commonly known as St Patrick's Infant and Dietetic Hospital. It is contested because there is a fundamental disagreement as to its historical purpose: there are two different retrospective interpretations of its function. To this day the Government insists that it was a hospital; but in reality, it was an adoption home for infants and babies . It was stated in a parliamentary question in the Dáil by Sinn Féin TD Claire Kerrane last year that: 'Temple Hill does not qualify for supports, redress or recognition because it was a hospital, yet babies were adopted and paid for on foot of newspaper advertisements. Many children went to America. I have never heard of a hospital that does that.' Despite the indisputable fact that many children were adopted from Temple Hill through the former adoption society St Patrick's Guild, and some were resident for lengthy periods of time, it is one of at least four institutions excluded from the Mother and Baby Institutions payment scheme as it was not on the initial list of homes investigated by the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes. The fact that it was not an institution within the meaning of the terms of the commission and no mothers resided there with their babies (apparently they were taken from them at the door) kept it out of its terms of reference. READ MORE I am not seeking a payment under the scheme or looking for redress personally, because I left Temple Hill with my adoptive parents at the age of three months. I was fortunate to grow up with six siblings – five adopted, also from the same location – in a stimulating and supportive environment, but I am advocating for people who have been left out. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has stated that the official commission report was flawed because many institutions were excluded. Its remit was too narrow. In an 'alternative report', a team including survivors, activists and eminent academics wrote that its 'text excluded significant cohorts of affected people' and that 'it is regrettable that the Commission did not request to modify its terms of reference to permit deep engagement with a wider range of organisations'. Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley will have a chance to review the operation of the scheme within six months of its second anniversary, by September 2026. Many of the now-ageing adults who were resident and abused in institutions and identify themselves as 'survivors' in need of the supports offered by the scheme are currently left in limbo. I had the pleasure of meeting the Irish artist Bernard Canavan, a recipient of the prestigious Presidential Award for his contribution to Irish culture in the UK at the Irish Cultural Centre in Hammersmith, London. He recently held an exhibition at The United Arts Club in Dublin entitled Theocracy. His paintings represent the trauma that he and others endured in institutions. He was a long-term resident of the same Temple Hill in Blackrock, more than 25 years before me. Despite evidence of his abuse, neglect, lengthy period of residency at Temple Hill, and his advanced age, he is excluded from the payment scheme because of 'contested' definitions. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) has set up a comprehensive curriculum resource on 'mother and baby homes' for the Junior Cycle. It developed it in collaboration with groups involved in advocating for survivors of 'historic' institutions. This is an important and worthwhile initiative. The list of related literature for the English curriculum is comprehensive and impressive, including the novel Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan and the play An Trial by Máiréad Ní Ghráda. The curriculum has input from many survivors and is all the better for it. However, the framing of the curriculum comes directly from the NCCA, a statutory body of the Department of Education. At the launch, Minister for Education Helen McEntee said: 'It is vital that our young people learn about the history of this State in every aspect, and in order to provide this teaching and learning, teachers must be supported with resources such as this one.' One of the resources for Junior Cycle teachers - a series of slides, maps, a list of the homes included in the Commission's report - omits the contested homes. Much of the lengthy reading list that goes with the teacher supports comprises 'official' reports. Searching through the voluminous reading list, I eventually found an alternative ' List of Institutions, Agencies and Personnel Involved in Separating Unmarried Mothers from their Children .' It is collated by Claire McGettrick and the Justice for Magdalenes Research and Adoption Rights Alliance. The database includes St Patrick's Infant Dietetic Hospital (aka Temple Hill). It is vital that students understand how our Government and legal system operates to include and exclude people from access to justice. These nuances matter. If school children are taught to think critically they might be driven to question as to whether their history curriculum is in fact 'history' or 'current affairs'? In Fintan O'Toole's excellent recent article on the excavation of the Tuam site , he writes that: 'This is making history in a double sense – doing something that has never been done before while simultaneously reshaping a country's understanding of its own recent past. And, hopefully, of its present.' It seems ironic that the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four has been removed from the Senior Cycle curriculum for 2026 by the Department of Education, while Greta Gerwig's film Barbie has been deemed worthy of inclusion. Leaving Certificate students won't have to read George Orwell's text or consider one of its most memorable lines: 'Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.' But they will have a chance to consider this dialogue by Weird Barbie: 'That Ken of yours, he is one nice looking little protein pot … I'd like to see what kind of nude blob he's packing under those jeans.' Rachel Fehily is a barrister, lecturer in literature and justice at UCD and is engaged in interdisciplinary creative-based doctoral studies supported by Research Ireland
