Samaritans volunteers across Ireland answered 50 calls every hour last year, as new research revealed it is the only form of support for over half of callers.

The Samaritans Ireland Impact Report for 2024 showed that volunteers provided 100,000 hours of support to callers during the year, providing a lifeline to people who were struggling to cope.

The 2024 Impact Report highlighted that in Ireland:

• Volunteers responded to 470,000 calls (includes all contacts) – answering approximately 1,200 each day.
• The most frequently raised concerns related to mental health or illness, isolation, loneliness, and family problems (multiple issues can be raised in one call).
• Emotional support calls lasted an average of 28 minutes.
• 6,800 calls were diverted to Samaritans from five other helplines when they were closed.

Read our 2024 Impact Report

Download document:Samaritans Ireland Impact Report 2024