Lack of health resources sees gardaí deal with 60% more people in mental health crises

Garda figures show that there were 149 cases in 2021 where specialist garda negotiators were called — an increase of 60% on 2020. File picture

Long waiting lists and a lack of in-patient psychiatric beds means that gardaí are seen as the “last resort” in dealing with a mental health crisis, campaigners have said.

Mental Health Reform said it is “deeply concerned” after a Garda report indicated that more than half of the crisis or ‘barricade’ incidents they were called to in 2021 related to mental health situations. MHR boss, Róisín Clarke, said garda interventions can lead to “additional distress” for the person in crisis.