Gardaí lost 13 officers to suicide in 3 years

Thirteen serving Gardaí have taken their own lives over the past three years, according to official figures from An Garda Síochána.

At least 68 officers have had to take sickness absence every year due to mental health issues during the same period with the loss of more than 16,000 days of service.

The absence figures may actually understate the level of stress, anxiety, and depression in the force as not all instances are likely to have been recorded, An Garda Síochána has said.

The General Secretary of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) Pat Ennis has called for more thorough recording of mental health absences and referrals in the force.

The figures on suicide were disclosed under Freedom of Information by Gardaí and show there were five suicides recorded among serving members in 2019, four in 2018, and four the year before that.

Another 15 gardaí were granted early retirement on the basis of “mental ill-health”.

Last year, a total of 216 gardaí were referred for psychiatric, psychological assessment, or related medical care. That was an increase from 185 in 2018.

In 2019, another 28 members of the force were referred for cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), a slight increase of three on the number that were given a CBT referral the year before.

Although the figures are likely incomplete, 80 Gardaí were recorded as taking sickness absence because of a mental health issue last year.

The figures also show that 5,609 working days were taken or lost due to mental health illness last year. This was an increase from 4,093 in 2018 but was down from the 6,414 days that were lost in 2017.

An Garda Síochána have conceded that the figures on absences from work due to mental health may not capture the entire problem. They said their Sickness Absence Management System (SAMS) had no specific category for absences due to stress, anxiety, or depression. In some cases, this is recorded under Mental Health or in comments on a file.

Pat Ennis of the GRA said: “The system for collating this data should be updated to reflect more accurately the circumstances of all absences including mental health, and injury on duty due to assaults on gardaí.” Mr Ennis said they were aware of members not seeking absences for mental health issues out of fear it could “impact on their future career”.

“Thankfully, that is changing but like the rest of society, regrettably admitting a mental health issue still carries a stigma for some people.” Mr Ennis said An Garda Síochána were responding and hoped more accurate reporting would be addressed as part of the new Garda Wellbeing Programme.

The Garda Press Office said the welfare of staff was of “paramount importance”.

*samaritans.org / call 116123