Defence Forces says it has 'comprehensive' approach to mental health following inquest of Curragh Camp soldier
Photo: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin
THE Defence Forces say it has a comprehensive approach to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of its personnel following a call for reforms at the inquest of a soldier last week.
Kildare County Coroner, Loretta Nolan, called on military fitness to be “decoupled” from career progression within the defence forces because of the fear of personnel speaking out if they were experiencing physical or psychological health problems
Ms Nolan said she would make such a recommendation to the Minister for Defence, the Department of Defence and the chief-of-staff of the defence forces as it had been “a significant issue for the past 20 years”
A Defence Forces spokesperson says it will await the delivery of the coroner's report to address specific recommendations raised, but outlined available supports, including an external counselling service.
Following a request for comment about the coroner’s comments, the Defence Forces said in a statement: ‘Óglaigh na hÉireann is committed to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of its personnel and their families. Our approach is comprehensive, involving the chain of command, the Medical Branch, and the Personnel Support Service (PSS) to reduce the risk of suicide and promote a culture of mental health awareness.
‘The Defence Forces provides an external, confidential counselling service for all military personnel and our PSS staff are formally trained, providing essential knowledge and confidence to intervene and support colleagues in distress, as well as to recognise and respond to suicide risks.
‘Óglaigh na hÉireann's commitment to mental health is ongoing, and we continue to invest in training, resources, and partnerships that strengthen the wellbeing of our people.’ The Defence Forces also participates in the Irish National Strategy for Suicide Prevention: Connecting for Life along with cooperating with the National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP) to deliver training to PSS, including programmes like SafeTALK, ASIST and Mental Health First Aid Ireland.
