Local people are calling for immediate action

The organisations met on Monday afternoon to discuss the alarming rise in suicides among young people in the Ardoyne area.

Republican paramilitaries are being linked to the increase as some of the young people took their own lives after being attacked.

Since the beginning of the year, 13 people have taken their lives in the area, according to north Belfast priest Father Aidan Troy.

At the weekend, the body of an 18-year-old youth was found in the grounds of Holy Cross Church in Ardoyne, hours after the funeral of another teenager who had taken his own life.

There is no role for anybody to be judge, jury and punisher in this community, they have a mandate from nobody Father Aidan Troy

Father Troy described the statistics as "terrifying".

Bernard Cairns' body was removed from scaffolding at the church by Father Troy on Saturday afternoon.

His best friend Anthony O'Neill, also 18, died last week and his funeral Mass was held at the church earlier that day.

Last year, Anthony O'Neill was kidnapped, stripped, beaten up and forced into a manhole. His family blame the INLA.

His mother Audrey said: "I think it just got too much for him. He left me a note to say he loved me and that he wanted to be with his daddy in heaven.

"They have broke my heart - they have broken me in two. They couldn't hurt me any more than this. He had everything in front of him - he was my baby, my youngest of nine."

Those at the meeting in Ardoyne decided to set up an emergency distress line in a bid to cut the number of suicides.

Paramilitary beatings

A counselling service and phone number will be established to help young people who need someone to talk to.

Fr Troy said: "A counselling service will be put in place from tonight onwards.

"There will be a number of people contactable should young people feel the need to speak to somebody confidentially."

Father Troy said the situation was "almost out of control".

"I think there is a huge feeling in the community that there is a huge link being drawn between paramilitary beatings, punishments and threats and the deterioration in the mental health of some of the young ones that have taken their own lives," he said.

"There was a spontaneous meeting last night which drew in excess of 100 people which I see as the beginning of people saying they want this to stop, and to stop now.

Anthony O'Neill, 18, died last week

"I have been calling for a clear statement that there is no role for anybody to be judge, jury and punisher in this community, they have a mandate from nobody."

Father Troy said the feeling in the area was that the Irish National Liberation Army was responsible for a growing number of paramilitary attacks on young people in the area.

The paramilitary group declared itself to be on ceasefire in August 1998.

Number of factors

However, Paul Little, of the IRSP, which is the political wing of the INLA, said it was wrong to blame the paramilitaries.

When asked on BBC Radio Ulster about the paramilitary-style assaults, Mr Little said: "If you're asking the question directly, do I believe that the INLA is directly responsible for these young men deaths, I'm telling you I don't believe that they are."

Bernard Cairns' body was removed from scaffolding at the church

He said he did not speak for the INLA and was "not going to attempt to now".

Father Troy has said there is every chance that Mr O'Neill would not be the last young person from the community to take their own life.

"I hope I don't hear this again but if somebody was to phone me again and say there was another one I have got to say I would not be surprised," he said.

"I'm not sure what is happening, I think there are a number of factors coming together. I don't think there is one simple cause because if there was there are people, surely, who would be able to move in to stop it.

"I think there is the whole question of the influence of paramilitaries, drugs, alcohol, and decades of deprivation.

"There is nothing here and there is also an unknown factor which I totally believe in and that is that every suicide is different.

"Even though the factors may be common I think the person who does this takes some secret with them to the grave."