Counselling service will be in place ‘as long as necessary’

A COUNSELLING service has been set up in Dunmore East to help those who have been bereaved as a result of the sinking of the Pere Charles almost two weeks ago.

Accredited counsellors are available on a daily basis at the Ocean Hotel in the seaside town from noon to 4pm to offer support, information or bereavement counselling.

The service was established last Saturday and will be in place as long as necessary, according to the Health Service Executive (HSE), which set up the facility.

Meanwhile, HSE liaison officers visited the boys’ and girls’ primary schools in Dunmore East this week to brief principals and teachers on coping with children who have been bereaved, or who may be worried about tragedies within the fishing community.

HSE South spokesman Sean McCarthy told the Irish Examiner yesterday: “You’re talking about children who could come from fishing backgrounds and may have family members involved in the industry.”

The counselling and information service in the Ocean Hotel has been set up on a drop-in basis and is free of charge.

“It’s being monitored on an ongoing basis but it’s our hope that we’ll make it available there over the duration of the search,” said Mr McCarthy.

As well as counselling, the health service is providing information leaflets on a number of topics in the Ocean Hotel, including anticipatory grief, children’s grief and grieving the death of a spouse or partner.

“People can go in and get advice and information and counselling if they require that. But there have been people calling in who are concerned about other people they know, and people have been going in looking for advice about how to talk to children,” explained Mr McCarthy.

The establishment of the drop-in centre follows contact between the HSE’s community welfare officers and the community in Dunmore East about how best the health authorities could help during this time of grief and waiting.

Help could also be offered to those who have been hit financially, while public health nurses are also on-hand to assist families.

The fact the search for bodies has not been completed also has an effect on the families, he said, but could also impact on somebody who may have lost a loved one at sea in the past, and has had to confront the memories since the latest tragedy started to unfold.

Meanwhile, the HSE South has an ongoing professional bereavement counselling service for those who have been affected by sudden, traumatic death.

This can be accessed through referral by a GP and is a long-term facility within the region.

The numbers using the temporary service in Dunmore East have not yet been tallied by the HSE.