Garda call-outs to volatile crisis incidents doubled this year

Garda negotiators have had to deal with a surge in incidents including where a person is armed and threatening harm, including self-harm. File picture

Emergency Garda call-outs to volatile stand-offs, often in people’s homes, almost doubled in the first six months of 2021.

The Garda’s elite negotiation squad is now dealing with over three crisis incidents every week on average — nearly two-thirds of them believed to be related to mental health crises.