Carol Nolan
Ceist:
592. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice the number of Garda interventions involving persons self-harming or harming others due to mental health issues; the resources that have been made available to ensure that members of An Garda Síochána are adequately trained to deal with these complex situations and that they have 24/7 access to the supports of appropriate specialist services when required; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8114/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra
I have requested information from the Garda Commissioner in relation to this matter but unfortunately it was not possible to compile it in the time available.
I will write to the Deputy directly with the information requested, when it is available.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51
I refer to Parliamentary Question 592 which was for answer on 17 February 2021 where you asked for the number of Garda interventions involving persons self-harming or harming others due to mental health issues; the resources that have been made available to ensure that members of An Garda Síochána are adequately trained to deal with these complex situations and that they have 24/7 access to the supports of appropriate specialist services when required. You will recall that the information could not be obtained in the time available and I undertook to consult with An Garda Síochána and contact you again when the information was available.
As you will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. I have no direct responsibility for these matters.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that training with regard to dealing with persons facing mental health emergencies is given to all Armed Support Units during their basic training. I am assured that this is a very detailed course on dealing with Hostage/Barricade/Suicide incidents and, by their very nature, the vast majority of which involve people experiencing mental health emergencies. This training is conducted in co-operation with the Central Mental Hospital.
I am further assured that comprehensive training in dealing with situations of mental health emergencies is provided to all members of An Garda Síochána, including for those who are armed, as outlined below.
BA in Applied Policing
Garda Trainees during a Mental Health Training Module must research the area of mental health and how the Gardaí will deal with the potential challenges faced when presented with an individual possibly suffering from a mental illnesses.
Since 2014, the HSE (National Office for Suicide Prevention) has been a stakeholder in providing training to Trainee Gardaí. Trainee Gardaí undertake the two day internationally recognised ASIST workshop (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training), which is co-delivered with the HSE. The ASIST workshop is a suicide first aid programme, which equips trainees with the skills required to discuss suicide with a person at risk and to make an intervention to reduce the immediate risk of suicide. During the two-day workshop, trainees have the opportunity to practice making an intervention with a person at risk of suicide through various role plays.
Following this workshop, trainees also study legislation on the Mental Health Act 2001 and the procedures that are required if Gardaí invoke their powers.
In addition, Garda Trainees participate in workshops during which they examine the area of vulnerability and minority groups and engage in a summative assessment whereby the trainees must engage in research regarding vulnerabilities amongst minority societal groupings.
The session culminates with the trainees making a presentation on the particular group which they have researched.
Sworn Members
All sworn members have also undergone the Foundation Training Programme. In addition, as sworn members, they received training in relation to Interviewing Techniques which involve identifying and managing interviewee vulnerability. As part of the interviewing vulnerability session, information is provided regarding identifying mental health and the implications of associated behaviours, depression, anxiety disorders and schizophrenia and strategies on how the interviewer can recognize potential issues and interact with such individuals.
As part of Custody Management training, the following modules are included for the management of mental health patients as prisoners:
- Mental Health,
- Self-Harm, and
- Excited Delirium, Drug and Alcohol abuse.
Also included in the training is an operational application of prisoner management (scenario based training). There is a focus on subjects with mental health issues in these scenarios.
Continuous Professional Development
As part of the Continuous Professional Development Core Programme for operational members, An Garda Síochána has provided training on Mental Illness Awareness in keeping with the Mental Health Act 2001. The programme also covered types of mental illness, Garda powers and procedures, and transportation of persons with a mental illness.
The table supplied in the attached Appendix, which has been provided to me by the Garda authorities, sets out the number of incidents per year (based on reported date) of the PULSE incident type ‘ Mental Health Act (detained under)’.
These figures relate to the number of incidents, and so the same person may be associated with more than one incident in any given year/s.
I trust this information is of assistance.
Appendix
|
Incident Type
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
|
Mental Health Act (detained under)
|
4002
|
4816
|
5757
|
Incident counts are based on reported date and were collated based on PULSE data as of 1:30am on the 10th of February 2021. Crime counting rules are not applied to reflect all recorded incidents.
