A Sinn Féin TD has told the Dáil of his pain at losing two brothers to suicide.

Cork East deputy Pat Buckley was speaking during a debate calling for increased mental health services.

Sinn Féin wants 24-7 emergency cover for crisis intervention to be offered nationwide within 12 months.

Deputy Buckley said he did not want any other family to have to go through the experience he did.

“I and my extended family have had to go through the trauma of burying a loved one, not once but twice.

“You cannot describe the hurt and sense of loss that is experienced within a family when you are told that one of your own has died by suicide.

“Your own personal emotions are just sucked from your body and replaced with feelings of hopelessness, sadness, bewilderment, anger.”