Budget 2026: Over €15 Million Boost For Mental Health Crisis Supports and Suicide Prevention

Minister for Mental Health Mary Butler has announced record funding for mental health services in Budget 2026, with an unprecedented 300 new staff and over €15 million targeted at crisis supports and suicide prevention across Ireland.

The total allocation for mental health in 2026 will reach almost €1.6 billion, marking the sixth consecutive year of increases and representing a more than 50 per cent rise since 2020. The 300 new whole-time-equivalent staff will account for 9 per cent of total health service staffing growth next year.

A significant portion of the new investment will address the high volume of mental health presentations in emergency departments, which exceeded 50,000 in 2024 according to the Mental Health Commission. The HSE will establish specialist nursing teams in the emergency departments of all Model 4 hospitals, including Cork University Hospital, to provide out-of-hours support from 6pm to 2am.

Minister Butler said:

"I'm very pleased to have worked closely with Minister Carroll MacNeill to secure an additional 300 staff for our mental health services. A third of these new clinicians will help us to target support to people in a mental health crisis both in our hospitals and in our communities.

By placing specialist nursing teams in our emergency departments out-of-hours, coupled with the expansion of community alternatives such as crisis resolution teams and crisis cafes, we are fundamentally changing how we respond to the needs of people in distress."

Three new Crisis Resolution Services with drop-in crisis cafes will open in Donegal, Kerry and the Midlands as alternatives to emergency departments for people experiencing mental health crises. An additional 12 Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurses (SCAN) will be recruited to work with people in acute distress who present to GP services in communities.

The budget includes €1 million to support implementation of a new suicide reduction strategy, developed following public consultation with nearly 2,000 participants. Minister Butler emphasised that feedback highlighted how emergency departments were not always suitable environments for people in suicidal distress.

Funding of €415,000 has been allocated for Traveller-specific suicide prevention initiatives co-designed with the Traveller community, whilst increased funding of €1.7 million will support suicide prevention community and voluntary organisations, including Pieta.

A new crisis response pathway for children and young people will be staffed by 19 specialist CAMHS doctors for emergency liaison and out-of-hours support, alongside five new adult liaison psychiatrists. The budget will also deliver increased bed capacity, including 21 acute CAMHS inpatient beds and 10 new Intensive Care Rehabilitation Unit beds at the National Forensic Mental Health Service in Portrane, County Dublin.

For Cork residents in crisis, support is available through multiple channels, including the 24/7 text service (text HELLO to 50808), GPs, emergency departments including Cork University Hospital, the HSE Mental Health Services information line (1800 111 888), Samaritans (116 123), and Pieta House (1800 247 247 or text HELP to 51444). Additional information can be found at yourmentalhealth.ie.