Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the Minister for Justice, I would like to thank the Deputies for raising this matter today. The Deputies will be aware that the Garda Commissioner is responsible under the law for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including the training and deployment of Garda personnel. The Minister for Justice has no direct role in such decisions. However, the area of mental health in the justice sector has been a priority for the Minister, Deputy McEntee, so we are grateful for the opportunity to provide an update on this important initiative.

The establishment of crisis intervention units was recommended by the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland in its report published in 2018. Crisis intervention teams are a priority project under A Policing Service for our Future, the implementation plan for the recommendations of the commission. These will be specialist uniformed units that will work jointly with health professionals to provide a rapid and integrated 24-7 response to people with mental health issues. Crisis intervention teams have become a globally recognised model within contemporary policing for safely and effectively assisting people who experience mental health crises or related problems within the community. The crisis intervention team model promotes strong community partnerships among law enforcement, health professionals and appropriate follow-on support agencies.

Members of An Garda Síochána in the Limerick division are leading on the implementation of a pilot project that examines, designs and resources a 24-7 multi-agency approach to responding to mental health-related incidents. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, is grateful to them for their leadership on this important project. The assistant commissioner with responsibility for roads policing and community engagement is sponsoring this important project within An Garda Síochána while local Garda management in Limerick is engaged in the design, planning and eventual roll-out of the project. The Limerick crisis intervention team project is in the consultation phase and is scheduled for implementation in the third and fourth quarters of 2022. The intention is that the pilot project will involve a co-located response unit comprising a community psychiatric nurse working alongside front-line members of An Garda Síochána to respond to calls from anyone in crisis.

The project team has engaged with an academic research partner from the University of Limerick who will assist in evaluating the project over a two- to three-year period. This person will also assist the team with policy terminology and language in respect of vulnerability and eligibility criteria. A training programme is also being drafted. The learning from the pilot initiative in Limerick will be of enormous value in shaping a model for crisis intervention teams to be rolled out across the country and ensure that all people with mental health needs receive the support they deserve and are diverted from the criminal justice system whenever possible.

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