Mental Health Services Seanad Éireann — 2026-09-30 ============================================================ Mary Butler (FF), Waterford At the outset, I would like to be associated with the comments in relation to the loss of one of our ushers, Seamus Carroll from Tipperary. I have been in this House for ten years and have to say, he was an absolute gentleman. I wish to express my condolences to his family and all his colleagues across the House. It is a very tough day on everyone. I thank Senator Costello for the opportunity to address the House today on an issue that is of profound importance to many individuals and families across Ireland. As Minister of State with responsibility for mental health, I want to acknowledge the distress, uncertainty and isolation that can be experienced by families when a loved one is living with persistent psychosis, particularly where that person does not recognise their illness or is reluctant to engage with treatment. These situations can be incredibly challenging, not only for the individual concerned but also for those who care about them and want to help. Every year in Ireland, an estimated 1,500 people develop a psychotic disorder for the very first time. Psychosis is a serious but treatable condition and we know that early intervention and timely access to specialist supports can be life-changing for individuals, families and communities. In a lot of cases, although it is not something the Senator mentioned, there are a lot of linkages with addiction issues as well where a person has psychosis. We know, for example, from a recent report I received that 33% of all new psychotic cases are linked to cannabis. Where family members have serious concerns about the mental health of a loved one, they should seek professional advice and support. This may involve contacting the person's treating community mental health team, where one is involved, engaging with a GP or seeking guidance through primary care services. These professionals can advise on the most appropriate care pathway and the supports available. As the House will be aware, the Mental Health Act 2026 was enacted in May of this year. I acknowledge again Senator Costello's significant contribution through the passage of this legislation and especially this subject we are talking about now. One point I want to reiterate is that involuntary admission remains available where the legal criteria are met and where it is necessary to ensure a person receives appropriate care and treatment. The legal criteria have to be met in cases like this, however. The Act seeks to balance a person's rights and autonomy with the need to provide treatment and protection where there are serious concerns about mental health. It is also important to recognise that the families themselves need support. The HSE provides a range of family-oriented interventions, including behavioural family therapy through early intervention in psychosis services, recovery education programmes, family peer support, where available, education initiatives and access to wider statutory, community and voluntary sector supports. These approaches recognise the vital role families can play in a person's recovery. I also want to acknowledge the valuable work of Shine, which supports people experiencing mental illness and their families every day, specifically in relation to psychosis, while promoting social inclusion and reducing stigma across our communities. This month, Shine has been to the fore in relation to the green ribbon campaign. Supporting people experiencing psychosis in their own communities has been a priority for me throughout my time in office. That is why I have placed a strong focus on strengthening specialist mental health services, including the national clinical programme for early intervention in psychosis, EIP. Since 2021, I have allocated more than €3 million in development funding for early intervention in psychosis services. Funding is now in place for ten early intervention in psychosis teams nationally, with five adult teams and one child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, team currently operational. Two additional teams are under development and recruitment alongside the Ballyfermot EIP team that I was proud to launch recently. During my visit to the Ballyfermot Primary Care Centre, I also met with the home-based treatment team comprising community mental health nurses who provide treatment and medication in people's homes, helping individuals to live well within their communities while reducing the need for hospital admission. Under budget 2026, I secured funding for a further early intervention in psychosis team in the midlands, continuing the expansion of specialist services and improving geographical coverage. I will come back on the next piece. --- Source: Houses of the Oireachtas. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The Official Report is revised after first publication; the fetch timestamp below identifies the version quoted. Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-09-30/debate/main Retrieved: 2026-10-05T01:00:59+00:00 Sitting date: 2026-09-30