Pilot Limerick Garda-HSE crisis intervention team has 'major impact'

Minister of state Mary Butler said 'since its launch in January 2025, the CAST team, comprising uniformed gardaí and HSE mental health nurses, has had 196 interactions, including 35 diversions from emergency departments and three from arrest'. Picture: Moya Nolan

A ground-breaking pilot crisis intervention team comprising gardaí and mental health nurses has had almost 200 interactions with people since it started in January.

Local assessments estimate that almost 80% of those interactions have had a “major impact” on the people in crisis, according to minister of state Mary Butler.

The Community Access Support Team (CAST) pilot project in Limerick City was established last October and went live at the beginning of this year.

It is the first operational unit, made up of frontline gardaí and psychiatric nurses, tasked with providing an immediate response to people in a mental health crisis, including where they pose a risk to themselves or others.

Typically, uniform gardaí have to respond to such incidents on their own and are not trained in dealing with a mental health crisis or trauma-induced situations, including, potentially, suicide.

CAST was supposed to begin more than two and a half years ago but was hampered by staffing issues.

In response to a query from Limerick Sinn Féin TD Maurice Quinlivan, Ms Butler said the "pilot project in Limerick aims to compassionately intervene in crisis and trauma situations, providing a health response to mental health crises".

She added: "This initiative, the first of its kind in Ireland, has been a priority for me, the minister for justice, the HSE, and An Garda Síochána.” 

Ms Butler, minister of state with responsibility for mental health and Government chief whip, said: “Since its launch in January 2025, the CAST team, comprising uniformed gardaí and HSE mental health nurses, has had 196 interactions, including 35 diversions from emergency departments and three from arrest. About 11% of interactions involved suicidality.” 

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She added: “Local impact measurement shows 78% of interactions had a major impact on individuals' lives, ensuring people in crisis received appropriate care at the right time.” 

The CAST team consists of six professionals: Three from An Garda Síochána and three from the HSE. 

It is a full-time squad, based in Henry Street Garda Station in the city centre.

Ms Butler said the project "exemplifies a partnership approach". 

She said: "An evaluation conducted in due course will inform any potential national rollout. 

"Initial funding came from local resources to enable swift establishment of the pilot, with future development plans based on pilot outcomes. 

"Local regional HSE leadership fully supports the development of this important service.” 

A joint Garda-health team has been recommended by various committees and commissions, in particular the commission on the future of policing in Ireland, which reported in September 2018.

Responding to the reply to his parliamentary question, Mr Quinlivan said: “I’ve been pushing this for a long time, for three years. I think it’s a brilliant initiative. It is definitely needed.” 

He said suicide was a major issue in Limerick and that the public nature of many instances is deeply traumatic for all concerned.

He said he is concerned that “no additional resources” were provided to CAST and that the funding for it came from “existing” Garda and HSE budgets.

He said: “It is due to be subject to a review by University of Limerick, so hopefully that will result in its own budget.”