Marking World Mental Health Day 2026, the Irish government announced an €11 million funding package

Marking World Mental Health Day 2026, the Irish government announced an €11 million funding package to expand youth mental health services, talk therapies, and early interventions.

Minister for Mental Health Mary Butler detailed an €11 million investment package designed to strengthen early intervention, youth support, and community talk therapies across the country.

The funding forms a component of a record €1.657 billion mental health allocation under Budget 2027, marking an increase of €108 million over the previous year and climbing more than 60% since 2020.

Expanding Jigsaw Youth Services Across Six Counties

At the center of the new departmental package is a €3.8 million commitment to establish four new Jigsaw services. These facilities will provide free support for young people aged 12 to 25 experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties.

The new locations in Dún Laoghaire and across counties Kildare, Cavan, Monaghan, Sligo, and Leitrim will extend access to an estimated 135,000 additional young people once operational next year. This expansion will raise national coverage of such youth services from 75% to 90%.

Photo: gov.ie

Budget 2027 Increases Funding for Community Counselling

Additional resources are heading toward community-based counselling initiatives, with an extra €2.8 million in Budget 2027 lifting recurring funding for the Free Men’s Counselling Programme and the Community Therapy Fund to €5.8 million annually. These streams will enable the delivery of nearly 60,000 free counselling sessions each year.

The Free Men’s Counselling Programme has engaged more than 8,200 men—many accessing support for the first time—and delivered over 24,000 counselling sessions since its launch.

€500,000 dedicated to delivering 8,000 more free counselling sessions for men annually.
€500,000 to provide 6,000 additional sessions through Community Therapy Ireland member organizations, targeted toward new clients, young people, and LGBTQ+ individuals.
€800,000 to facilitate 10,240 sessions via the national network of Family Resource Centres.
€1 million to fund 9,000 sessions through the HSE Counselling in Primary Care service.

New Funds Bolster Specialist Care for Children

Minister Butler has secured over €3.5 million to bolster specialist care within Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services beyond talk therapies. The funds will establish a dedicated ADHD pathway and enhance Mental Health Intellectual Disability services for children and young people with complex needs, targeting faster access for those facing the longest wait times.

The department is committing €500,000 to expand Social Farming projects for CAMHS attendees and residents in community mental health housing. An additional €1 million will support the recruitment of 18 staff members, including peer support workers, family support workers, recovery coordinators, and Individual Placement and Support coordinators.

HSE Digital Services And Constant Demand In the Community

Approximately 6,000 people have utilized the HSE’s free online therapy service this year alone, while more than 40,000 have accessed Cognitive Behavioural Therapy programmes since their 2021 launch. The Health Service Executive is encouraging individuals to seek help if they are finding things difficult as it marks World Mental Health Day alongside government funding announcements.

Higgins added that We want people to know that there are many free supports available right now and that you do not have to face things alone. Aware noted that 54% of survey respondents cited money as the leading factor negatively impacting their mental health.