The Samaritans responded to over a half a million calls for help this year, making 2014 the organisation's busiest year to date.

Samaritans Ireland is a volunteer-led organisation, which provides confidential, non-judgmental emotional support, 24 hours a day, for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which could lead to suicide.

It has just launched its 2013/2014 Impact Report, which reveals that over the last year, it has answered over 478,000 calls to its helpline, responded to almost 12,000 emails and more than 8,600 texts, and has had 8,700 face-to-face contacts with people in need of help.

"The figures show that there is a huge demand for our service and we are aware from the nature of our calls that many people In Ireland are struggling to cope. By making our service as accessible as possible, we hope to be there to support people through their problems," commented Catherine Brogan, executive director of the organisation.

She noted that the launch earlier this year of a new free to caller number - 116 123 - has led to a ‘significant increase' in the number of calls to the organisation's helpline.

"Since the launch of the number in March 2014, we've experienced a 52% increase in the number of calls received compared with the same period in 2013," she said.

Overall, the organisation received an average of 1,310 contacts per day in the 12 months between October 2013 and September 2014 - an increase of 266 calls a day when compared to the previous year.

Just over half of calls were received between the hours of 6pm and 6am and the average length of each call was 12 minutes.

Ms Brogan said that the free to caller number has encouraged more people to make contact with the service, particularly by mobile phone. In fact, seven in 10 calls to the Samaritans are now made from mobiles.

"The issues of most concern to our callers have remained consistent over the last number of years. These include family and relationship problems, financial worries, depression and mental health problems, loneliness, stress and anxiety," she noted.

However, she emphasised that people can talk about ‘whatever is getting to them'.

"Some people think that you have to be suicidal to talk to Samaritans but that is not the case. We are here for anyone who needs to talk, no matter what kind of problem our callers have, however big or small it may seem, they can get in touch," she said.

Meanwhile, according to the organisation's regional director for Ireland, Robert McBride, volunteers are the ‘core' of the Samaritans.

"This year, our volunteers have shown extraordinary dedication as they responded to the rise in calls received with an increase in listening hours. Volunteers provided 63,659 hours of listening time over the last year. In the six months after the free number was introduced, they have increased the listening hours given by 38%," he explained.

He added that volunteers are ‘ordinary people who do extraordinary things by supporting people who feel that life is getting to them and helping them find a way through their problems'.

The Samaritans is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, on 116 123. For more information about the organisation, click here