Eating Disorders

Tuesday, 29 September 2026

Questions (771, 772)

Conor Sheehan

Question:

771. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 3129 of 7 September 2026, if she will clarify a matter (details supplied). [68525/26]

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772. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 3129 of 7 September 2026, if she can provide a timeline on when the five remaining teams planned under the 2018 Model of Care for Eating Disorder Services will be completed and fully operational. [68524/26]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 771 and 772 together.

The National Clinical Programme for Eating Disorders has progressed well with the total number of 16 eating disorder teams under the Model of Care now fully funded. This includes 11 teams now operational and a further 5 teams in recruitment and development, as per the programmes Model of Care. The HSE spends over €14 million on eating disorders services annually.

Over 110 dedicated eating disorder clinicians from the National Clinical Programme are now working on the teams across the country, treating people with eating disorders every day. As Minister I secured funding from Budget 2026 for two new eating disorder teams - a CAMHS team for the Southeast, and an Adult team for counties Galway and Roscommon. This will assist more people with an eating disorder requiring access to specialist eating disorder mental health services.

Our current focus is on completing and implementing the existing Model of Care for this programme and supporting the rollout of additional teams. Once this is complete, an evaluation will be undertaken, after which the Model of Care will be reviewed by the HSE.

Further, my Department and the HSE are working to develop 22 dedicated adult beds to provide inpatient care for eating disorders, in addition to the existing 20 dedicated child and adolescent eating disorder beds.

The development of these will be progressed under the governance structures of the forthcoming 10-year capital plan for mental health services, supported by funding from the National Development Plan 2026-2030. The HSE is aiming to have these beds coming on stream by 2030.

As your questions relate to specific recruitment matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Question No. 772 answered with Question No. 771.

773. Reply not received from Department.