Dublin, 10 October 2025 — Minister of State for Mental Health Mary Butler TD has announced a new €4 million investment package to expand early intervention, digital mental health, and community-based talking therapies, coinciding with World Mental Health Day 2025.
Key Measures Announced
The funding, secured under Budget 2026, will deliver:
- Two new Jigsaw youth mental health services in Co. Clare and Waterford, extending free therapy and support to young people aged 12–25.
- Five new Discovery Colleges nationwide, offering peer-led mental health and wellbeing workshops for young people.
- €1 million for digital mental health, implementing Ireland’s first national digital mental health strategy, including online CBT and text-based supports.
- €1 million for community-based talk therapy services, creating a dedicated fund for local counselling and psychotherapy providers.
- Additional peer support workers and a digital single point of access for youth mental health services.
Broader Budget Commitments
The announcement comes as part of a record €1.6 billion allocation for mental health services in 2026, representing a 50% increase since 2020. The budget also provides for the recruitment of 300 additional whole-time-equivalent staff, the largest single-year expansion of the mental health workforce to date.
Further initiatives include:
- Crisis support and suicide prevention, with new crisis cafés, specialist nursing teams, and expanded suicide prevention programmes.
- National Clinical Programmes, including new teams for dual diagnosis, eating disorders, perinatal mental health, and early intervention in psychosis.
- Additional capacity, with new CAMHS beds at the National Children’s Hospital and expanded forensic and rehabilitation services.
Minister’s Statement
Minister Butler said the investment reflects a commitment to accessible, community-based care:
“Every young person should have access to early intervention services for mild and moderate mental health issues. By expanding Jigsaw, Discovery Colleges, and digital supports, we are making it easier for people to get help when and where they need it.”
She added that the government’s focus on digital innovation, peer support, and talking therapies would ensure services are more responsive and inclusive.
Outlook
The package is part of the government’s wider “Our Rural Future” and Sláintecare strategies, aiming to reduce pressure on acute services by strengthening early intervention and community-based care.
With mental health funding at its highest level in the state’s history, officials say the measures will transform access to services, particularly for young people and vulnerable groups, while reinforcing Ireland’s long-term commitment to mental health reform.
Source: Department of Health, Government of Ireland.
