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	Charity says callers starting to see contact as first port of call rather than last resort</p>
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	Mental health charity Samaritans recorded its busiest ever year in 2014 after it introduced a free phone service.</p>
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	The organisation answered more than 470,000 phone calls, 12,000 emails and 8,000 text messages over the past 12 months, according to its Impact Report for Ireland.</p>
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	Executive director of Samaritans Ireland Catherine Brogan said there is no longer a barrier to contacting the charity. &ldquo;Since we removed the significant cost of a phone call . . . there is no longer a barrier for anyone who is struggling to cope to contact us any time of the day or night.&rdquo;</p>
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	The organisation previously operated a low-cost number but a deal negotiated with the telecommunications industry, the Government and the National Office for Suicide Prevention now enables people to get in touch for free. The charity experienced a 52 per cent increase in calls since the switch in March.</p>
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	Samaritans received an average of 1,310 contacts a day in the 12 months from October 2013 to September 2014, an increase of 266 calls a day on average compared to the previous year.</p>
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	Ms Brogan said callers are also starting to contact the charity sooner. &ldquo;People are beginning to see us as their first port of call,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;People don&rsquo;t have to be suicidal to contact us.&rdquo;</p>
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	About 70 per cent of the calls come from mobile phones and the issues raised have remained consistent over the years: financial issues, family problems, loneliness and anxiety.</p>
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	One volunteer said they receive a lot of calls from elderly people in particular around Christmas time. &ldquo;They could be waiting for their children to get in touch with them but they don&rsquo;t &ndash; so they feel lonely,&rdquo; she said.</p>
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	Minister of State with responsibility for mental health Kathleen Lynch said the benefits of switching to a free phone number were clear. &ldquo;I hope that the telecoms industry now recognise the benefit of that partnership,&rdquo; she said.</p>
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	The increase in calls to the charity also highlights &ldquo;the great need that is out there&rdquo; for mental health support, she said. Samaritans can be contacted over the phone on 116 123 or at www.samaritans.ie</p>
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	<a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/almost-500-000-calls-to-samaritans-in-busiest-year-1.2041078">http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/almost-500-000-calls-to-samaritans-in-busiest-year-1.2041078</a></p>
