“Decade of broken promises” in mental health sector, says Sherlock

Labour TD Marie Sherlock has dubbed a new report by the Mental Health Commission, which has found major gaps in Ireland’s mental health care system, a sign of a “decade of broken promises.”

The Labour health spokesperson was responding to the report, found that funding for mental health services has failed to reach the levels promised by 2024.

In September 2024, the government pledged to spend 10% of the health budget on mental health services, but in real terms, the investment was just 6%.

Per Sherlock the report “paints a stark picture of inconsistent and patchy mental health crisis care across our acute hospitals and in the community.”

“Children and adults are being failed horribly by the absence of dedicated pathways in place on a 24/7 basis,” the Dublin Central TD said.

“It is appalling that any child or indeed any adult in crisis should be left waiting for days on a trolley in an overcrowded and understaffed Emergency department without access to the appropriate healthcare professional they need.”

Sherlock said the 24/7 pathways in Ireland’s healthcare system are outdated and are almost a decade old.

“The failure to ensure a comprehensive system of these in place confirms mental health as the Cinderella of the health system,” she remarked.

“With the Mental Health Commission report showing over 50,000 people seeking acute mental health care through emergency departments, dedicated out of hours pathways are desperately needed to provide people in crisis with access to the services they need. The absence of these pathways has had a terrible impact on patients and their families, sometimes with devastating consequences.”

She said the report must serve as a “wake-up call” to the Minister for Health and the HSE.

“There are measures that can be taken now to address this, such as dedicated rooms and the recruitment of mental health nurses for EDs. The Minister must tell us what will change so children are not waiting for days on a trolley.”

“There has been a negligible increase in mental health’s share of total health spending since 2016 and we have concerns now that a chunk of that spending is going to privately contracted service,” she said.

“Earlier this week, we published responses to parliamentary questions which showed that €93 million was spent last year on outsourcing mental health care to private providers, rather than building up public services.

“Providing dedicated care pathways in both our acute hospitals and in the community will ensure people get the assistance they need, when they need it, and close to where they live. Addressing this will also importantly reduce overcrowding in our Emergency Departments and pressure on other frontline staff. The Minister must now put in place a funded programme of action to address these care failings.”