705. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the steps she is taking to address the existing 700+ vacant posts in mental health services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35427/25]
Topics / Mental Health Services
A subject heading for parliamentary questionsMental Health Services
1,556 questions from 122 TDs, between 22 January 2025 and 22 October 2026.
1,556
questions
1,548 written, 8 oral
122
TDs have asked
11
parties and groups
Independents counted together
9
departments asked
Questions per month
The record holds no questions for August, when the Dáil does not sit.
Jan 2025Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions |
|---|---|
| January 2025 | 21 |
| February 2025 | 72 |
| March 2025 | 106 |
| April 2025 | 64 |
| May 2025 | 106 |
| June 2025 | 80 |
| July 2025 | 140 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 51 |
| October 2025 | 99 |
| November 2025 | 55 |
| December 2025 | 48 |
| January 2026 | 104 |
| February 2026 | 87 |
| March 2026 | 90 |
| April 2026 | 121 |
| May 2026 | 89 |
| June 2026 | 84 |
| July 2026 | 66 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 27 |
| October 2026 | 46 |
Who asks, by party
The party each TD belonged to on the day, in alphabetical order. Parties differ a lot in size, and members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them, so this shows who raised it, not how much a party cares about it.
The TDs who asked most
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.
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298
-
113
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98
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55
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44
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37
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33
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27
Asked of
Debated under the same heading
Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
707. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of fully staffed emergency mental health services and regional crisis response teams. [35429/25]
709. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of mental health vacancies across HSE community and inpatient services, disaggregated by health region and by profession. [35431/25]
710. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the workforce planning that has been done to estimate the number of additional mental health professionals needed by 2030. [35432/25]
711. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the average capital and operational cost of establishing a new community mental health hub including premises, equipment, IT and staffing. [35433/25]
712. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of establishing one 24-7 mental health crisis responses team per health region, including staffing, vehicles, premises and clinical support. [35434/25]
713. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number and location of existing youth mental health drop-in services such as Jigsaw; and the average cost per centre per year. [35435/25]
714. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the capital allocation currently provided under the NDP for mental health infrastructure, and the amount of it that remains unspent or uncommitted. [35443/25]
715. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of fully staffed CAMHS teams currently operational, per health region; and the number of additional teams that would be required to meet national guidelines, taking the increase in population into account. [35444/25]
716. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the estimated cost of hiring the full multidisciplinary CAMHS teams needed to ensure no child waits longer than eight weeks for an initial assessment. [35445/25]
717. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the annual operational cost of running a CAMHS inpatient unit; and the capital cost attached to opening a new one. [35446/25]
718. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the current number of HSE-funded counselling hours delivered annually in primary care; and the average cost per session. [35447/25]
719. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of additional therapy hours or sessions that would be deliverable under a €25 million increase in the talk therapy budget. [35448/25]
720. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the current waiting times for CIPC and other primary mental health interventions, per health region. [35449/25]
721. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the current per capita spend on mental health services in each health region. [35450/25]
722. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the counties that currently lack 24-7 crisis mental health cover; and the estimated cost to establish cover in each. [35451/25]
723. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the cost benefit analysis conducted by the Department on expanding community based mental health care, as opposed to inpatient models; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35465/25]
724. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health if any spending evaluation tools have been applied to mental health programmes since 2020; what the outcomes were; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35466/25]
725. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the annual budget allocated to digital mental health services; the average cost per user interaction or session; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35467/25]
726. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of dual diagnosis teams currently in operation, by health region; and the estimated cost of ensuring at least one operational team, per health region. [35468/25]
727. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the average cost of treating individuals with a dual diagnosis in community settings versus inpatient units; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35469/25]
728. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health if translation and interpretation costs are ringfenced in mental health services for those with limited English; and the average cost per health region for accessible communication supports. [35472/25]
736. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of mental health programmes are currently subject to output based budgeting and key performance indicators; and the estimated administrative cost of expanding this approach. [35512/25]
737. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health if her Department has conducted a review of inefficiencies or duplication across the HSE mental health services; and if any projected cost savings have been identified. [35513/25]
738. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the way in which Ireland’s current per capita spending on mental health compares with EU and OECD averages; and the estimated additional cost to bring spending to the EU average. [35514/25]