24-hour trauma counselling for gardaí

Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan is to introduce 24-hour emergency counselling services for gardaí who suffer trauma from work duties.

Thu, 30 Apr, 2015 - 01:00

Sean O’Riordan

The commissioner told GRA delegates she would shortly seek tenders for the counselling service which will be available around the clock.

Gardaí, she said, are often the first to reach the scene of horrific road crashes and other serious incidents which can leave them highly traumatised.

Rugby pundit Brent Pope later spoke to gardaí about mental health issues and said he welcomed the commissioner’s move.

Mr Pope, who visits schools and businesses to highlight mental health issues, told of a breakdown he suffered in 1991.

He said firemen in New York were still being counselled after 9/11 and it was extraordinary it was only now gardaí were to be offered professional counselling considering the difficult job they have to do.

Mr Pope added: “The attitude that real men don’t cry is wrong”, and asked gardaí to keep an eye out for any colleagues who were exhibiting mental health symptoms.

Garda John Parker said he and his GRA’s welfare committee colleagues had been looking at various service providers and best practices on mental health issues.

“You can’t keep going to gut-wrenching incidents without being affected. A number of gardaí have taken their own lives in the past few years and there is no doubt that the job certainly adds stress to a garda’s life,” he said.