Government’s Budget 2025 failed to address mental health crisis

10 October 2024

Labour’s Health Spokesperson Duncan Smith TD has sharply criticised the Government’s failure to tackle the mental health crisis, following the announcement of Budget 2025. Speaking on World Mental Health Day, Smith called out the severe shortcomings in mental health services, particularly for children, and warned that the latest budget does nothing to ease the burdens on vulnerable young people and families who are desperate for support.

Deputy Smith said,

“Mental health services in Ireland are in a state of crisis. CAMHS waiting lists are utterly appalling, and the Government’s so-called progress has been little more than a talking point. Budget 2025 might look good on the surface, but if you’re a child waiting for a place in a class for Autism or in desperate need of mental health support, it has nothing for you.

“Let’s be blunt: what this Government has done simply hasn’t worked. They’ve repeatedly failed to deliver on their promises for mental health. The figures don’t lie. Thousands of children are languishing on waiting lists, waiting months—if not years—for basic mental health services. Vulnerable children deserve better. They deserve timely access to the care and support they need to thrive.”

The Labour Party has been pushing for a radically different approach to mental health services. In Labour’s Alternative Budget, we proposed directing funding toward reducing waiting lists by ensuring mental health teams are fully staffed, developing new beds, and creating robust care pathways.

Deputy Smith continued, “We in Labour have long advocated for greater investment in mental health and disability supports, especially for children. Yet time and again, this Government has let us down. The failures in CAMHS are well documented, and experts have been sounding the alarm for years about the terrible impact the lack of services is having. How much longer do children have to suffer before we see real action?”

“The lack of joined-up thinking on mental health is staggering. The Government is quick to pay lip service to the issue but slow to invest in any meaningful way. Meanwhile, families are left in limbo, with no idea when—if ever—their child will receive the care they need.”

“Our Alternative Budget is about real action. We proposed clear and funded measures to reduce waiting lists by fully staffing mental health teams, developing new care pathways, and ensuring every child has access to the services they need. This is the kind of leadership the Government should be showing but is failing to deliver.

“We all know how deeply important it is to have accessible mental health services widely available, yet instead of seeing improvements from this Government, we see failure after failure. It’s not just about numbers on a spreadsheet; it’s about real lives. It’s about children and families who are suffering because the services they need simply aren’t there.

“The time for talking is over. We need a public service that will build, care, teach, and deliver for our communities. Labour will continue to fight for proper funding and policies that deliver real results for children, families, and those in need of mental health services.”

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