Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 June 2026
429. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health the measures in place to ensure safe discharge from acute mental health services, particularly where family members have raised concerns about risk; the supports available to families dealing with individuals in severe mental health crisis, including coordination between mental health services and An Garda Síochána; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48468/26]
View answerA range of national policies and service developments are in place to support individuals experiencing mental health crisis, as well as their families, carers and supporters, including at points of transition from acute mental health services to the community.
There has been sustained and significant investment in mental health services over recent years, underlining the high priority placed by Government on improving supports for people experiencing mental health difficulties. This commitment has been further reinforced in Budget 2026, with the total allocation for mental health now almost €1.6 billion, representing a record level of funding and an increase for the sixth consecutive year, with overall mental health funding increasing by over 50% since 2020. Within this broader investment, additional funding has been allocated to expand crisis supports and service capacity across hospital and community settings.
Budget 2026 provides over €15 million in additional funding for crisis supports and suicide prevention measures. This funding is supporting a range of service developments, including expanded Crisis Resolution Teams and crisis cafés as alternatives to Emergency Departments, strengthened Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurse (SCAN) supports in primary care settings, specialist out-of-hours nursing provision in Emergency Departments, enhanced crisis pathways for children and young people, increased funding for community and voluntary organisations delivering suicide prevention services such as Pieta, and funding to support the initial implementation of the new suicide reduction strategy. These measures are aligned with strengthening crisis responses across hospital and community settings and expanding alternatives to Emergency Departments.
More broadly, the Government’s national policy framework supports a coordinated, whole-system approach to responding to individuals in crisis. Sharing the Vision, our national mental health policy, places a strong emphasis on person-centred, recovery-oriented care, including the involvement of families, carers and supporters where appropriate. In particular, Recommendation 27 provides that all service users should have an individualised recovery care plan, co-produced with the service user and, where appropriate, their families, carers and supporters. This approach recognises the important role of those closest to the individual in identifying needs and concerns and supporting ongoing care.
In parallel, Connecting for Life 2026–2035, the national strategy to reduce suicide and self-harm, adopts a whole-system, multi-agency approach to responding to individuals in suicidal distress. The strategy includes a specific recommendation to develop an integrated crisis response pathway, setting out how services across health, emergency and justice sectors will work together to respond to individuals in crisis, including through coordination between the HSE, the National Ambulance Service and An Garda Síochána. It also provides for joint training and the development of shared protocols across relevant public services to support a consistent and effective response. The strategy also places a strong emphasis on follow-up care and continuity of support, including trauma-informed assessment, safety planning and timely follow-up, as well as the use of individualised care plans to support recovery, with a particular focus on strengthening transitions between hospital and community services.
In addition, work is underway through the National Implementation and Monitoring Committee for Sharing the Vision to bring together the range of available out-of-hours and crisis services and supports, with a view to aligning and streamlining provision and identifying any potential gaps. This work is expected to inform the development of an Adult Crisis Response Framework.
A number of specific crisis services are being expanded and developed to support individuals in acute distress. Crisis Resolution Teams provide rapid assessment and short-term intensive intervention in the community, including out-of-hours support, and are currently operational in a number of areas with further expansion planned. Crisis cafés provide a welcoming, non-clinical environment where individuals can access support, including out-of-hours, with services now operating in a number of locations nationally.
The Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurse (SCAN) service also provides a key safety net, offering timely assessment of individuals in suicidal crisis, often in primary care settings, following referral from GPs. These services are supported by consultant psychiatry input and are being expanded further. In addition, specialist crisis nursing teams are being established in Emergency Departments, particularly in Model 4 hospitals, to provide out-of-hours support for individuals presenting in distress, alongside the continued development of appropriate assessment environments within hospital settings.
Taken together, these measures support a coordinated system of care in which individuals experiencing mental health crisis are supported through integrated service responses, family involvement where appropriate, and strengthened crisis intervention and follow-up across health and other public service agencies.
As this PQ raises a number of operational matters, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
