Counselling helpline for gardaí gets just 508 calls

A SUPPORT service for gardaí which was set up over a year ago has barely been used by officers.

Since the round-the-clock Independent Counselling Service for gardaí, civilian staff and reserves was established on June 24, 2016, only 508 phone calls have been received.

Figures released by the Garda Press Office show that 453 officers of all rank – under 4% of the entire force – have used the service with the number of face-to-face meetings totalling 1,672.

Currently there are 12,859 officers of all ranks stationed across the country.

When queried on what the main issues the officers contacted the service about were, a Garda spokesperson would not go into detail, but said many of the issues were personal and work-related.

Former Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan established the free and confidential service, which aims to provide counselling on a wide range of work and personal issues, including critical incidents, trauma, financial, relationships, bereavement, stress, conflict, and health.

The service was first recommended 15 years ago by the Garda’s sole voluntary psychologist, Mark Reddy. The force had been the only emergency service in Ireland which lacked a dedicated support system.

The current service gives employees immediate support from accredited counsellors over the phone and then, if needed, up to eight face-toface counselling sessions.

These sessions take place in a location within one hour of the employee’s home or place of work.

The Independent Counselling Service is delivered by EAP Consultants/ Carecall, which has worked with the PSNI, the Defence Forces, the Prisons Service, and the Probation Board.

The service is financed through public funding.