Psychiatric nurses to attend some scenes with gardaí in new scheme

Chief Superintendent Gerard Roche says that the force is fully behind the pilot programme in Limerick that will see greater collaboration with mental health professionals, such as psychiatric nurses, accompanying gardaí to the scene of incidents. Picture: Collins Courts

Most gardaí who arrest people under the Mental Health Act would not have done so if there was a viable alternative, with a new report describing how the arrival of gardaí can cause the person who is unwell "extreme fear" and even "terror".

The findings are in a report outlining how a new method of dealing with such cases — to be led by a pilot programme in Limerick — will see greater collaboration between gardaí and the Health Service Executive, with specialised training for officers and a mental health professional, such as a psychiatric nurse, accompanying gardaí to the scene.