Strong on Sentiment, Soft on Support: CEO Commentary on Budget 2024

Although announced on the same day as World Mental Health Day (10 October 2023), Budget 24 is clearly deficient in terms of focused mental health and wellbeing supports, and the below-par mental health budget continues as a perennial worry, it being such a low percentage of the overall health budget (5-6% in Ireland, compared with 14+% in the UK).

There were many positive declarations within the full budget; however, little reference to one of the fundamental ingredients of a positive and productive society - good mental health.

• The €1.23bn announced to support health infrastructure is cited as being for the purpose of “enhancing wide sustainability of health services”. A key factor for delivering sustainable health services, is the accessibility and the affordability of functioning mental health services, that focus on the many determinants of poor mental health to deliver effective preventions as well as interventions. The lack of direct focus on mental health was at odds given the vocal political commentary on the importance of mental health and wellbeing in recent times.
• Minister Donohoe’s goal to ensure Ireland is “one of best places in the world to be a child” is a sentiment with which we would all agree. However, the lack of reference to tangible psychological and mental health supports was evident despite it being stated that “The mental health of children and young people is a priority for Government, and the funding provided in this Budget demonstrates its importance”. The Minister for Education tweeted that there’s “Continued investment in mental health initiatives for primary schools” and there are “new education well-being and mental health teams being created”, but significant supports are needed to tackle the shortage of psychologists in the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) to deliver services to these teams.
• Following the publication in July of the Mental Health Commission’s final report on Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), the PSI has highlighted that more needs to be done to replace the current fire-fighting service with one that is fit-for-purpose. Budget 24 is a missed opportunity for a timely response to provide the resources to translate this report into deliverable services to best meet the needs of children and young people.
• Concern has also been raised, by PSI and our HSCP colleagues regarding the safety of disability services being delivered to children and their families, along with the known issues regarding staff retention and recruitment in disability services, which have significant waiting lists. The Action Plan for Disability Services and funding announced to support the expansion and improvement of services needs to address this issue. It is notable that the €64m confirmed for disability services is actually below the government’s own Capacity Review (Disability Federation Ireland).
• There is an education pathway and recruitment crisis in the Psychology sector, that is patently aggravated further by the long documented difficulties with recruitment procedures (PSI Previous press statement) unequal funding for psychology professionals, such as for those working in section 38 and section 39 organisations.
• As Tuesday 10 October is also World Homeless Day, the €27 million being made available to support the provision of homeless services is a positive. With 4,000 children homeless, more needs to be done for those most at risk (Focus Ireland) and PSI has highlighted the psychological implications of being homeless on children and families and how significant focused efforts are required to effectively tackle the homelessness crisis.

To address the significant gaps in Ireland’s psychological workforce, in our Pre-Budget Submission, the PSI called for the funding of an additional 50 trainee psychology posts, and the immediate establishment of the HSE recommended National Psychology Placement Office (requiring funding of €2.52 million per year for the former and €770,000 per year for the latter). We hope these recommendations will be considered in future government plans for the health system.

In 2024 and beyond, the PSI will continue to advocate for psychologists and our members, for pay parity, for viable and funded education pathways, for diversity and inclusion and the importance of a rights-based approach, and for psychology to be on the political and societal agenda given its recognisable and valued benefit to society, communities and individuals.

Blog post by Sheena Horgan Chief Executive Officer The Psychological Society of Ireland