Over €1.6m spent on counselling services for gardaí in past two years
Gordon Deegan
An Garda Siochána has spent €1.63 million over the past two years on counselling services for the growing number of gardaí traumatised in the course of duty.
Figures provided by An Garda Siochána in response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request on the force’s counselling spend for members show that the Garda spent €845,441 on counselling services for members in 2025, followed by a spend of €786,771 in 2024 under the same heading.
The figures show that last year the spend on Standard Counselling through the Garda Employee Support Programme (ESP) totalled €355,527.
In contrast, the spend on the Psychological Support Programme for Garda members totalled around the same at €355,521.
The spend on Employee Support Programme - Trauma Counselling last year totalled €134,393 compared to a spend of €154,026 for 2024.
The number of members supported through the Garda Trauma Service last year totalled 253 compared to 246 under the same heading in 2024.
The number of referrals for the Garda Trauma Service last year totalled 175, compared to 170 for 2024, while the number of scheduled sessions for the trauma service last year totalled 1,444, compared to 1,575 in 2024.
The increased spend comes against the background of growing numbers of gardaí being assaulted while on duty.
Figures released in January show that more than 600 gardaí were injured in the line of duty last year, with more than half sustaining an injury as a result of an assault.
A total of 616 officers were recorded reporting some form of work-related injury last year - up from 555 in 2024.
Co Louth firm EAP Consultants Ltd trading as Lena (by Inspire) provides counselling services to the gardaí, and a copy of one invoice provided shows that the firm charged €25,584 (ex VAT) for counselling services on April 30th of last year.
Commenting on the AGS spend on counselling services, General Secretary of the Garda Representative Association (GRA), Ronan Slevin said today: “Sadly, it is very much a nature of the extremely challenging and often traumatising environment which our members encounter on duty that such counselling supports are so necessary.
Mr Slevin said: “Our members bravely go towards situations where others are fleeing from, and like so many of our colleagues in other frontline services, often they come face to face with situations that can leave long-lasting scarring on both their physical and mental wellbeing.
Mr Slevin added: “We are fortunate to have such services available and I would urge all members to avail of such supports through their district representatives and employment assistance officers.”
