Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 June 2026
894. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the steps being taken to reduce inequalities in mental health outcomes among disadvantaged communities; and the funding committed to those initiatives. [45201/26]
View answerThe Government is committed to reducing inequalities in mental health outcomes, particularly for disadvantaged and marginalised communities, through work under Sharing the Vision, Ireland’s national mental health policy, and Connecting for Life 2026–2035, the national suicide and self-harm reduction strategy.
Sharing the Vision places the individual at the centre of service delivery and recognises that some groups face a higher risk of poorer mental health outcomes due to socio-economic disadvantage, marginalisation or discrimination. These include people living in poverty, those experiencing homelessness, minority ethnic groups such as Irish Travellers and Roma, refugees and migrants, LGBTQI+ individuals, and others at increased risk. The policy emphasises the need for culturally appropriate, accessible and responsive services tailored to these groups.
Implementation is overseen by the National Implementation Monitoring Committee, including a dedicated Social Inclusion Workstream focused on improving access and outcomes for disadvantaged groups.
In parallel, Connecting for Life 2026–2035 adopts a whole-of-government, public health approach, recognising that inequalities in mental health outcomes are strongly influenced by wider social determinants such as poverty, housing insecurity and discrimination.
Key actions include targeted supports for high-risk groups, delivery of culturally appropriate and trauma-informed services, integration of supports in disadvantaged areas through Sláintecare Healthy Communities, and expansion of community-based crisis responses.
Members of the LGBTQI+ community are recognised as a priority group due to evidence of significantly higher levels of mental health difficulties, including increased rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicidal behaviour.
The HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP) funds a range of targeted and mainstream services. In 2024, NOSP allocated over €8.3 million to 21 national NGOs, including organisations specifically focused on LGBTQI+ communities such as LGBT Ireland, BeLonG To Youth Services and TENI.
In addition, mainstream services such as Text About It, Jigsaw, Pieta and Samaritans provide inclusive crisis and listening supports nationwide. Targeted partnerships, including between Pieta and BeLonG To, ensure tailored supports for LGBTQI+ young people.
Further developments include bespoke counselling supports for gender-questioning young people, alongside additional counselling and family supports. These initiatives are informed by evidence and supported by national guidance to promote inclusive and respectful care.
Irish Travellers are also recognised as a priority group, reflecting significantly poorer mental health outcomes and higher suicide rates.
This work is supported through cross-government frameworks including the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy and the HSE’s National Traveller Health Action Plan (2022–2027).
Targeted initiatives include expanded Traveller-specific counselling services, community-based mental health supports, youth-focused interventions, and culturally appropriate suicide bereavement and prevention supports. Delivery is grounded in partnership with Traveller organisations.
Targeted funding supports these measures, including Traveller counselling services, mental health coordinators, youth supports and Traveller-led projects.
A National Traveller Mental Health Specialist Group, established in January 2026, is progressing a dedicated Traveller Mental Health Action Plan to address service gaps, barriers to access and culturally appropriate delivery.
Men are also recognised as a group at increased risk of suicide and lower engagement with services, with targeted measures in place to address stigma and improve access.
The National Counselling Service provides free counselling to adults who experienced childhood abuse or neglect and, through the Counselling in Primary Care (CiPC) service, to medical card holders.
In addition, €2 million in funding was provided in 2025 to deliver a suite of talk therapies and counselling supports specifically tailored for men, with services available from September 2025. These supports aim to encourage men to seek help, reduce stigma, and provide timely interventions for those in distress. This approach reflects national policy, which recognises talk therapies as a first-line treatment.
Women are also recognised as a key priority group where gender-specific factors influence mental health outcomes, including trauma, socio-economic inequality and health disparities.
Under Sharing the Vision, the implementation of the Women’s Mental Health Specialist Group report – “Embedding Women’s Mental Health in Sharing the Vision” is being overseen by the National Implementation Monitoring Committee.
A key measure is the development of a Charter for Women’s Mental Health, which commits services to:
• adopting a gender-aware approach to service delivery and accessibility;
• ensuring trauma-informed practice across all services; and
• improving data collection and analysis on gender and other risk factors for marginalisation.
To support implementation, further guidance is being developed for services, and a Gender-Sensitive Toolkit, in collaboration with the National Women’s Council of Ireland, is due for publication in 2026.
In addition, targeted investment has been made through the Women’s Health Fund, aimed at improving gender-sensitive mental health services, including enhancements to national clinical programmes.
Overall, the implementation of Sharing the Vision and Connecting for Life 2026–2035 provides a comprehensive, evidence-based and whole-of-system approach to reducing inequalities in mental health outcomes. This approach combines mainstream service reform with targeted interventions for priority groups, ensuring that services are inclusive, accessible and responsive to the needs of all communities.
