Mental health funding to prioritise LGBTQ+ and young people

A lifeline for thousands more

Minister for Mental Health Mary Butler TD announced an increase of €3 million for Budget 2026, on top of €1 million already secured in recurring funding.

The money will create a new partnership between the HSE and Community Therapy Ireland (CTI), a national association of 29 counselling and psychotherapy providers, and aims to strengthen access to early intervention supports.

Over the last two budgets, €5 million has supported 39,000 hours of counselling, as The Journal reported.

The announcement builds on the Men’s Free Counselling programme launched last September, which targets men aged 30 to 50, the age group most at risk of suicide.

More than 5,200 men have accessed the service so far.

Speaking about the initiative, Minister Butler said:

"Men account for approximately 80 per cent of deaths by suicide in Ireland. It is vital that we continue to break down barriers to help-seeking and ensure that men can access support when they need it."

She added that the programme showed “the importance of providing services that are accessible, stigma-free and responsive to people’s needs”.

Anyone affected by the issues raised in this article can contact Samaritans free on 116 123.