The Government should set up a dedicated Office of Veterans Affairs to help ex-Defence Forces members with mental illness, a charity has suggested. 

Veterans charity ONE said it needs €1.5 million in order to continue providing former servicemen and women with housing and mental health services.

As it holds its AGM today, the charity’s annual report reveals it has a funding shortfall of €860,000.

ONE CEO Cormac Kirwan said there are a number of ways that veterans struggle once they leave the military. 

“Veterans would have the same issues that people within general society would have,” he said. 

“With probably the additional layer of complexities associated with service and in particular service overseas. 

“So, the veterans that we would support would have issues associated with homelessness, mental health issues, family breakdown - which would probably be one of the greatest triggers for homelessness.”

In 2022, the Government announced plans to increase defence spending from €1 billion a year to €1.5 billion annually.

Main image: The shoulder patch of a soldier from the Irish Army. Picture by: Alamy.com 

Reporting by Clíona O'Dwyer and James Wilson.