Vol. 526 No. 3
228 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Finance the advice and assistance which has been made available to the staff of a provincial office (details supplied) of the Revenue Commissioners to deal with the trauma experienced following the recent death by suicide of two staff colleagues. [26483/00]
I understand from the Revenue Commissioners that in cases of sudden or tragic death or suicide there is a programme in place to provide staff with support, advice and assistance by Revenue's employee assistance service.
The programme consists of informal meetings with small groups and individual staff members and ongoing telephone contact with individual staff members in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy; one-to-one consultation-counselling is available for staff who wish to avail of this service with follow-up visits to staff in the office or alternatively in their homes or other convenient locations; and information seminars on death, suicide and bereavement grief.
These services have been made available to the staff at the location referred to by the Deputy. Arrangements are also in place to hold a stress awareness seminar at that location at the end of this month, as part of an office wide approach to stress management. Support, advice and assistance are also available to bereaved families.
The employee assistance service, which provides a free confidential counselling, support, referral and information service to all Revenue officials, continues to be available to staff members who wish to avail of its services.
