Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 December 2025
234. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to extensive waiting lists for mental health supports in third level institutions; the actions he will take to address these delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66813/25]
View answerMental health is a key priority area for my Department and this is reflected in the Programme for Government commitment to continue to support students experiencing mental health and wellbeing challenges.
I am pleased to tell you that as a part of Budget 2026 I am providing a 20% increase or €1m additional ringfenced funding in to support mental health initiatives, in addition to funding supports provided through core funding.
This will bring the specific fund to €6m for 2026 and will assist the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and the higher education institutions (HEIs) in the implementation of the National Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Framework and the Healthy Campus Charter and Framework.
As autonomous bodies the internal disbursement of funding, including the funding and expansion of student services and mental health supports, is a matter for the individual institution.
As part of its broader sectoral objective of supporting students on their journey to success, in and through higher education, my Department has provided €31.9 million to date in additional funding, to support mental health and wellbeing, through the HEA to HEIs since 2020.
National Projects were funded through this allocation between 2020 and 2025. These were a direct response to the HEA’s Connecting for Life Working Group identifying gaps in the current research and practice. These projects augment policymaking and facilitate the implementation of the framework, by providing dedicated tools, focused research, and professional collaboration.
HEIs in receipt of this funding are encouraged to distribute it in support of specific student-facing areas, such as:
• Recruitment of additional Student Counsellors
• Recruitment of additional Assistant Psychologists
• Head of Service posts
• Training of staff to enable them to support and refer students to appropriate services
• Raising awareness among students of mental health and wellbeing services available, including through student outreach activities
The majority of new posts created through this funding have been counsellors, reflecting the capacity building phase of the implementation of the Framework. HEIs have reported a breadth of positive impacts, from a reduction in engagement times to an increase in the number of sessions provided.
A review of the National Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Framework published in July by the HEA has identified that in an Irish context there remains a need to develop appropriate indicators to measure ability to provide adequate levels of mental health supports to students in Irish higher education.
A key issue highlighted by higher education stakeholders is the ongoing difficulty with referral pathways into HSE services for higher education students, particularly those with acute mental health problems or living away from home.
Based on the findings of the HEA review, the National Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Framework will be revised in consultation with thehttps://hea.ie/assets/uploads/2025/02/HEA-Student-and-Staff-Health-and-Wellbeing-AG-2024-ToR-and-Membership-May-2024-Updated-Jan-2025.pdf. This revision of the Framework will include the identification of robust and meaningful indicators that can measure quality of provision and the ability of HEIs to provide adequate levels of mental health supports to students.
The HEA will now work with the HEA Student and Staff Health and Wellbeing Advisory Group to implement the review’s key recommendations. These include:
An independent revision of the framework should be commissioned to streamline implementation actions and give more guidance to HEIs.
Meaningful, measurable indicators should be agreed to monitor and evaluate impact and progress in various areas including: Service provision; Awareness raising initiatives; Interventions for students; Training for staff; Interventions for at-risk groups.
National Guidance should be developed on: Policy development (e.g. postvention, campus audit); Framework alignment (Healthy Campus & NSMHSPF); Embedding Mental Health Promotion and Wellbeing in the Curriculum.
A national approach to links to external services should be established.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
