Mr. Drew Harris:

We have a 24-7 counselling service that is available, there is an employee assistance officer and staff available where members are involved in critical or difficult incidents or, indeed, if they just want to reach out. Part of our work this year in delivering the recommendations of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland will be to further examine our well-being strategy for all our employees, both Garda staff and members to ensure that it is a healthy place to work. Additional resources will be made available to the chief medical officer in relation to the staff he has available to him.

We very much recognise the stresses and strains and the toll that can take on people both professionally and personally, and also on their families. We want to be in a position to offer as much support as we can. Prevention is better than cure when it comes to providing early support to individuals.