Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 July 2026
802. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the reason a person (details supplied) was assessed solely by a trainee GP; whether this practice aligns with national clinical governance standards for acute psychiatric presentations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53115/26]
View answer803. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the national protocols for managing acute presentations involving severe anxiety, self-harm behaviours and expressed feelings of being a burden, particularly in individuals with no prior psychiatric history; whether these protocols were followed in a case (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53116/26]
View answer804. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health the measures in place to ensure continuity of mental health care for persons who relocate between CHO areas; whether gaps in continuity contributed to the deterioration of a patient (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53117/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 802 to 804, inclusive, together.
There has been sustained and significant investment in suicide reduction initiatives over the last number of years, underlining the high priority placed by Government on improving mental health services and supports and reducing suicide and self-harm across the population.
This commitment has been further reinforced in Budget 2026. The total allocation for mental health is 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.
Budget 2026 also includes a major focus on improving supports for people in mental health crisis, with over €15 million in additional funding for crisis supports and suicide prevention measures.
The Government's new suicide and self-harm reduction strategy, Connecting for Life 2026–2035, places a strong emphasis on coordinated, person-centred care and includes a commitment that individuals presenting to HSE or HSE-funded mental health services should receive an individualised care plan which supports seamless transition between services throughout their recovery journey. The strategy also provides for integrated crisis response pathways and the consistent use of individualised recovery care plans to support continuity of care based on assessed need.
This funding is supporting a range of service developments, including expanded crisis resolution services and crisis cafés as alternatives to Emergency Departments, strengthened 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 €1 million to support the initial implementation of the new suicide reduction strategy.
These measures are aligned with the objectives of Connecting for Life 2026–2035, including strengthening crisis responses across hospital and community settings, improving access to community-based supports, supporting continuity of care, and expanding alternatives to Emergency Departments. []
In addition, there has been sustained investment in suicide reduction initiatives through the HSE's National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP), with expenditure increasing significantly from approximately €5.19 million in 2012 to €14 million in 2024.
Crisis mental health supports, including those with 24/7 coverage, are currently provided across a number of settings and services, including hospital-based services, out-of-hours services such as CAMHS on-call, and non-governmental organisation services such as crisis phone and text supports, funded by HSE Mental Health Services.
The National Implementation and Monitoring Committee for Sharing the Vision: A Mental Health Policy for Everyone (2020–2030) is currently overseeing a piece of work by the HSE Implementation Group to bring together the range of available out-of-hours and crisis services and supports, with a view to aligning and streamlining supports and identifying any potential gaps in service provision. It is envisaged that this work will form the basis of an Adult Crisis Response Framework.
In addition, I have overseen the expansion of a range of community-based crisis supports as alternatives to Emergency Departments, including Crisis Resolution Teams, Crisis Cafés and the Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurse (SCAN) service. These supports are designed to provide timely assessment, intervention and follow-up for people experiencing mental health difficulties and are being further expanded through Budget 2026 funding.
As these Parliamentary Questions raise a number of operational and case-specific matters, including matters relating to the assessment and care of an individual service user, I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
