5 IRISH GO TO DIE AT SWISS SUICIDE CLINIC; ..and 30 contact centre to arrange deaths.

Byline: THOMAS CONNOLLY

FIVE Irish people ended their lives at a Swiss euthanasia clinic in two years, figures reveal.

Suicide centre Dignitas said that in 2005 three Irish people died at the facility near Zurich and two others died there between 2003/04.

It also said that up until May 2008 nearly 30 people from Ireland had contacted them to arrange their death.

The figures, released to the Irish Catholic newspaper, also show the clinic had a total 5,898 applications from people who wanted to die up to 2008.

The majority of applications came from Germany. Illnesses suffered by those who died from assisted suicide included cancer, kidney disease, Crohn's disease and one case of rheumatoid arthritis.

While these can be extremely uncomfortable they are not always fatal and can be treated.

Research published in 2008 by the Journal of Medical Ethics revealed that 21.2 per cent of all nationalities ending their lives with Dignitas suffered nonfatal illnesses.

In April, Dignitas director Ludwig Minelli caused controversy when he said he would be taking a court case to allow the partners of people who had died by assisted suicide to die alongside them.

The Department of Health does not keep a list of those seeking assisted suicide, either through Dignitas or other right to die groups at home or abroad.

Meanwhile, a banned euthanasia expert dubbed Dr Death is planning a visit to Ireland next October, the Irish Mirror can reveal.

According to his website Philip Nitschke, 61, is to scout venues in Dublin for so-called suicide workshops.

He sparked revulsion when he became the world's first doctor to give a legal lethal injection and has written a "suicide handbook".

Pro-life activist Dominica Roberts said: "Nitschke is a terrifying person and should be banned. I am amazed they are letting him in the country."