Hospital ERs “wholly unsuitable” for mental health crises
Emergency departments in hospitals across the country have become the default, yet “wholly unsuitable” point of care for tens of thousands of people experiencing mental health crises due to a severe lack of community supports, an Oireachtas committee has heard.
Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Mental Health, Sorca Clarke, has called for urgent, sustained investment in community-based alternatives following a briefing of the Oireachtas Health Committee. The committee received evidence from the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland and Mental Health Reform, revealing that an estimated 51,000 first contacts with mental health services occur through emergency departments and acute hospital wards each year.
Witnesses told the committee that “chaotic” emergency rooms are frequently used as a last resort because patients cannot access timely care elsewhere. The presentation highlighted inconsistent community services, limited out-of-hours supports, and a distinct lack of urgent psychological care.
“Today’s evidence should serve as a wake-up call for Government,” Deputy Clarke said, “No one experiencing a mental health crisis should see an overcrowded emergency department as their only option.”
The committee heard that reducing these numbers requires an accelerated rollout of 24/7 Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Teams, fully staffed liaison psychiatry services
Crucially, experts blamed severe nationwide staffing shortages on years of underinvestment and poor workforce planning. The committee was told that the mental health budget remains well below what is required to meet demand, leaving services to continually play catch-up.
Furthermore, wider social issues—including housing, homelessness, poverty, addiction, and isolation—were identified as key drivers pushing more people into acute mental distress.
Deputy Clarke reiterated Sinn Féin's calls for every Model 3 and Model 4 hospital to feature a dedicated mental health emergency room separate from standard emergency departments, alongside ringfenced funding for late-night outreach spaces and crisis resolution teams.
“Community services reduce pressure on emergency departments and deliver better outcomes,” the Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Mental Health concluded, pledging to press the Government for compassionate, timely care.