Mental health services ‘under increasing pressure’, says Laois TD

Laois TD Willie Aird has called for greater investment in mental health

Published 8th Aug 2026, 16:00 BST Deputy Willie Aird (right) has demanded the Government accelerate investment in mental health services. Laois TD Willie Aird has called for greater investment in mental health Sign up to our Laois Live newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know you can manage your profile, and explore all of the available newsletters from Laois Live within your account.

A Laois TD has urged the Government to give a greater commitment to hitting Sláintecare’s mental health funding targets.

Laois TD Willie Aird called for accelerated investment in mental health services after receiving confirmation from the Minister for Health that mental health accounts for around 6% of the overall health budget, well below the 10% target set out in Sláintecare.

Deputy Aird raised the issue through a Parliamentary Question, asking what steps are being taken to increase funding towards the Sláintecare commitment of allocating 10% of the health budget to mental health services by 2030.

“Mental health affects every family and every community. Continued investment is essential to ensure services can meet growing demand and provide timely, high-quality care across Laois and throughout the country,” Deputy Aird told the Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill,

The Health Minister said that Budget 2026 allocated almost €1.6 billion to mental health services, which is the highest level of funding to date and an increase of more than 50% since 2020.

The funding includes provision for 300 additional mental health staff this year and continued investment in crisis supports, suicide prevention, youth mental health services and CAMHS.

Deputy Aird welcomed this increased investment, however he emphasised that more progress is needed if Ireland is to meet the ambitious targets set out in Sláintecare.

Laois community groups gather for workshop on new €50,000 environmental funding “Successive budgets have delivered significant additional investment in mental health services and that is to be welcomed. However, the Minister has confirmed that mental health currently accounts for around 6% of the health budget, which remains some distance from the 10% commitment under Sláintecare,” the Fine Gael TD said.

“Mental health services are under increasing pressure as more people seek support. We need to ensure that investment continues to grow so people can access the care they need without unnecessary delays.

“The additional funding in Budget 2026, including the recruitment of 300 more staff, is a positive step, but we must maintain that momentum in Budget 2027 and beyond if we are serious about delivering the improvements promised under Sláintecare.”

Deputy Aird acknowledged that mental health supports are funded across several Government departments and areas of the health service, meaning the dedicated mental health budget does not capture the full level of State investment in psychological supports.

“While mental health funding extends beyond the dedicated HSE allocation, we should continue to work towards the Sláintecare benchmark. Investment must translate into shorter waiting times, better access to community services, stronger supports for children and young people, and improved crisis care.”