Samaritans volunteers in Ireland answered almost 1,000 calls a day in 2025

• Loneliness and isolation key concerns as Samaritans Ireland Impact Report 2025 launched by Minister for Mental Health Mary Butler TD
• Expansion of services during 2025 include a new duty room in Monaghan

Samaritans volunteers in Ireland answered almost 1,000 calls a day for help last year, as loneliness and isolation remain a key concern for callers.

The Samaritans Ireland Impact Report 2025 was launched by the Minister for Mental Health, Mary Butler TD.

More than 1,500 volunteers gave 70,000 hours of emotional support to callers over the course of the year, with mental health, loneliness and isolation, and family issues the top concerns raised.

In Northern Ireland, some 600 volunteers answered 110,000 calls, giving 30,000 hours of emotional support to callers over the course of the year.

Beyond the helpline, volunteers supported people facing challenges at festivals and communities, as well as in prisons.

The report shows 1,200 festival goers reached out to Samaritans for help while attending a festival last year, with over 50 people having suicidal thoughts.

The report also marked a milestone year. It saw the opening of a new duty room in Monaghan town - the 25th Samaritans site across the island of Ireland - and the completion of a move to a new digital telephony system.

• More than 1,500 volunteers in Ireland answered almost 350,000 calls for help, providing 70,000 hours of emotional support over the course of the year.
• More than 600 volunteers in Northern Ireland answered 110,000 calls for help, providing 30,000 hours of emotional support to callers over the course of the year.
• The top concerns raised by callers were mental health, loneliness and isolation, and family.
• Samaritans is the only 24-hour emotional support helpline, open 365 days a year, for anyone in crisis, covering the island of Ireland.

“I didn’t realise at the time that I needed help as badly as I did, and I was hesitant to call. I didn’t want to waste their time or resources on my ‘trivial loneliness’. A decade or so later, I am grateful that I called,” he said.

“The Samaritans volunteer I first spoke to was attentive, gentle and non-judgemental. She set the precedent that I could always call again, which I did more times than I care to admit to get through the next few years. The Samaritans volunteers came to be a consistent voice of reason, comfort and kindness. I know I would not have been able to get through certain periods of hardship in my life without them.

“Samaritans helped me in crisis and are always available to give comfort and hope to anyone who calls. Taking the first steps towards recovery is always the scariest. But with Samaritans, no one has to face life alone. It saved my life.”

Speaking at the launch of the Impact Report, Minister for Mental Health, Mary Butler TD, paid tribute to Samaritans volunteers and the charity’s role in supporting people across Ireland.

“Samaritans volunteers provide an extraordinary service and have done so for decades, generously giving their time - day and night - to listen to people at their most difficult moments. Answering 1,000 calls a day is a remarkable achievement and reflects both the dedication of Samaritans volunteers and the vital role played by the Samaritans across every community in Ireland.

“Mental health must be everyone’s business, and organisations like Samaritans are a vital part of the cross-government response to suicide prevention. I want to thank every volunteer, staff member and supporter for the role they play in creating a safe space where people in distress feel heard.

“As we look forward to the launch of our new suicide reduction strategy next week, it is fitting we acknowledge the significant role and impact Samaritans has had in reducing suicide in Ireland last year and every year.”

Media contact:

For further information or to arrange an interview contact Sarah Stack, Communications & Policy Manager, Samaritans Ireland, [email protected]; 085 860 5554.

Note for Editors:

• Samaritans is the only 24-hour emotional support helpline that covers the island of Ireland, with more than 1,500 volunteers in 16 towns and cities across Ireland. Another 600 volunteers are based in Northern Ireland. People can call Samaritans freephone number 116 123 or email [email protected].
• Calls include inbound calls, outbound calls, emails and ,contacts in prisons as part of the Listener scheme
• Executive Director of Samaritans Ireland, Sarah O’Toole, or a Samaritans volunteer are available for interview.
• Anyone can ring Samaritans on freephone 116 123 or email [email protected]. All calls are free from any mobile or landline and the number will not show up on a phone bill.
• For information on volunteering with Samaritans visit www.samaritans.ie/volunteer