Samaritans: 2012 our busiest year ever

The number of people calling Samaritans Ireland for emotional support has jumped by 3% in the past year.

The group said 2012 was the their busiest year ever - with over 57,000 hours clocked up by volunteers manning phone lines.

Spokesperson Pio Fenton says having a friendly ear can really help someone who is feeling overwhelmed.

“It’s important that we talk about small problems before they become big problems. We have a tendency in this country to talk about a lot of things but rarely the things that actually matter.

“I would encourage people to speak out, it doesn’t need to be the end of the world, but just to get on top of their emotional health as issues arise.”