#Mental Health

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#Mental Health

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>‘Irish Examiner’ court reporter Liam Heylin at the Criminal Courts of Justice on Anglesea St in Cork. Amid the sometimes absurd and sometimes unsettling moments in criminal cases he covers, Liam notes trends and patterns in crimes coming before the courts. Picture: Dan Linehan</p>

S court and crime

Cork crime: 'To get a sense of the place you live, it is worthwhile going to your local courthouse for a day'

Liam Heylin introduces our three-day series with a long view on the hard realities — and hope — he sees every day in our courts

<p>Some issues stood out as pushing women to need help with their mental health issues including fertility struggles and experiencing a miscarriage as well as perimenopause and to a lesser extent menopause.</p>

health and wellbeing

'It still is a barrier': Almost 40% of women feel 'lonely and isolated'

<p>The move by Limerick County TD and media minister Patrick O'Donovan comes alongside the Coimisiún na Meán code which aims to prevent children from accessing pornography or gratuitous violence online. File picture: Niall Carson/PA</p>

politics

Social media: Irish and French ministers press for Europe-wide age rule to protect children

Coolmine's intensive PUP project for drug-using parents 'should go national'

news

Coolmine's intensive PUP project for drug-using parents 'should go national'

Teenage Students Using Digital Devices On College Campus

news

No post-primary phone ban — but schools will be asked to help restrict their use

Crisis on the Farm

news

Project to strengthen farmers' mental health 'very successful'

Royal College of Psychiatrists report

Psychiatry cannot be allowed to dominate debate on Mental Health Act

In all the debate about the Mental Health Act, it is troubling that the discussion has been among doctors and commentators — and not those directly impacted, write Jennifer Hough and Liam MacGabhann

Thu, 12 Jun, 2025

Sad girl in hooded top, sitting on a window ledge with head in hands in despair

Mental Health Bill may delay treatment for teenagers, Oireachtas committee hears

Experts raise concerns over crisis care gaps, staff shortages, and rushed amendments to the long-term legislation

Wed, 11 Jun, 2025

Allowing nursing home residents to live with dignity is very least we can deliver

Allowing nursing home residents to live with dignity is very least we can deliver

For those of us who work with nursing home residents, the revelations in 'RTÉ Investigates' were sadly unsurprising, writes Dr Joanne Fegan

Wed, 11 Jun, 2025

Charity hits out at 'fundamentally inaccurate' warnings about draft Mental Health Bill

Charity hits out at 'fundamentally inaccurate' warnings about draft Mental Health Bill

The Irish Medical Organisation is expected to criticise criteria for involuntary admission, timing of patients’ psychosocial assessment, and care plan regulations

Wed, 11 Jun, 2025

Watchdog to create code of practice for using surveillance in mental health services

Watchdog to create code of practice for using surveillance in mental health services

The Mental Health Commission is consulting people who use the services, family members, carers and people working in the sector

Mon, 09 Jun, 2025

Charity offers counselling to Irish soldiers who have endured the ‘horror’ of war in Ukraine

Charity offers counselling to Irish soldiers who have endured the ‘horror’ of war in Ukraine

Former Irish Defence Forces personnel are receiving counselling for PTSD from the Organisation for National Ex-Service Personnel (ONE)

Mon, 09 Jun, 2025

Gender based violence survivors

Open letter to ministers: Stop the use of clinical notes in rape cases

More than 60 professionals have co-signed a letter to five ministers saying defence lawyers should not be able to use clinical/therapy notes of rape and sexual assault victims as evidence in court

Mon, 09 Jun, 2025

Irish Budget 2024

Cork and Kerry mental health services have fewer staff now than during staffing crisis two years ago

Across the two counties, 407 children have waited longer than a year to access treatment

Thu, 05 Jun, 2025

Official Opening of the Central Mental Hospital, Portrane

'Serious concerns' after 17 areas of non-compliance found at Central Mental Hospital

The Inspector of Mental Health Services, Professor James Lucey, said 10 of 17 areas of non-compliance were reoccurring

Wed, 04 Jun, 2025

Call for urgent spend on children's mental health as report shows almost half of teenagers feel 'low'

Call for urgent spend on children's mental health as report shows almost half of teenagers feel 'low'

Two teenagers who spoke at the launch of the report raised similar concerns

Wed, 04 Jun, 2025

Close Up Of Teenager Boy Offering Girl Cigarette

Irish teens drinking and smoking less — but mental health concerns continue to rise

Over 8,000 pupils surveyed in 2022 reveal rising emotional struggles, food insecurity, and pressure from school and society

Tue, 03 Jun, 2025

'It's keeping him going': Families call for more funds for Alzheimer Society Cork centre

'It's keeping him going': Families call for more funds for Alzheimer Society Cork centre

Bessboro Day Care Centre has 200 people on a waiting list for its services for people with dementia or Alzheimer's

Thu, 29 May, 2025

Close Up Of Person With Addiction To Online Gambling Or Shopping Using Credit Card And Mobile Phone

Gambling is a ticking time bomb and we can’t ignore it any longer

The extent of problem gambling in Ireland is far worse than previously thought

Tue, 27 May, 2025

Cell phone break up

Gareth O'Callaghan: Cool in 1976, crushed in 2024 — where did teen joy go?

Despite Ireland’s academic excellence, one in three teenagers feel unhappy — and the digital age may be to blame

Sat, 24 May, 2025

What Street Feast reveals about our hunger for community

What Street Feast reveals about our hunger for community

Street Feast reminds us that we are not alone, and taps into something ancient in Irish life: the tradition of meitheal, of neighbours coming together to help each other out

Fri, 23 May, 2025

Prisoner

Cork man told gardaí 'I wanted to clear my head' after hitting his sleeping mother with saucepan

The mother had told the court that her son was hearing voices in his head which were telling him to do things

Wed, 21 May, 2025

Ireland has only a fifth of specialist teams needed to work with people who have psychosis, doctor says

Ireland has only a fifth of specialist teams needed to work with people who have psychosis, doctor says

Nationally, people are waiting six-and-a-half weeks on average to see a specialist after the onset of symptoms

Wed, 21 May, 2025

Upset girl on her smartphone in the dark.

Nearly 90% of people calling Samaritans have suffered mental health challenges

Samaritans said it continued to act as a lifeline for many struggling to cope as it answered 50 calls an hour in 2024

Wed, 21 May, 2025

homless person asleep

Half of homeless women who died from drug-related causes had history of mental health issues

There were 128 drug-related deaths involving homeless people in 2021

Tue, 20 May, 2025

Cara Darmody

Families and frontline staff must be consulted about assessment of need problems

Pervasive and abject policy failure across our disability sector is causing immense suffering to many families

Mon, 19 May, 2025

schizophrenia attack

Suzanne Crowe: People with severe mental illness will be failed by proposed new law

Psychosis robs people of their ability to understand how ill they are. If enacted, the Mental Health Bill will mean people stripped of insight by their illness will be able to refuse treatment

Mon, 19 May, 2025

HHC: The drug sold on Irish main streets that’s sending teens to hospital

HHC: The drug sold on Irish main streets that’s sending teens to hospital

Synthetic cannabis HHC is being sold in Irish shops despite expert warnings of addiction, psychosis, and teen hospitalisations

Sat, 17 May, 2025

Pilot Limerick Garda-HSE crisis intervention team has 'major impact'

Pilot Limerick Garda-HSE crisis intervention team has 'major impact'

'78% of interactions had a major impact on individuals' lives, ensuring people in crisis received appropriate care at the right time'

Wed, 14 May, 2025

Patrick O'Brien

New file shows State ignored warnings as convicted rapist and ‘psychotic’ wife adopted child

Despite clear psychiatric warnings and knowledge of abuse, the State allowed Fiona Doyle’s parents to adopt another child

Wed, 14 May, 2025

Sarah Harte: Anxious generation needs to be faced with academic challenge of Leaving Cert

Sarah Harte: Anxious generation needs to be faced with academic challenge of Leaving Cert

A bit of healthy stress is good for our development, so it's up to parents to tell children the truth that anxiety, failure, making mistakes and solving them are part of life, along with joy and hope

Wed, 14 May, 2025

Urgent need to fill gaps in care for those with psychosis, survey finds

Urgent need to fill gaps in care for those with psychosis, survey finds

The Psychosis Survey 2024, published on Wednesday, is based on feedback from almost 400 people with this condition and others

Wed, 07 May, 2025

NESC calls for more flexible rent controls and brownfield development incentives

NESC calls for more flexible rent controls and brownfield development incentives

Micheál Martin to update Cabinet on National Economic and Social Council report focused on improving compact growth in Ireland

Tue, 06 May, 2025

silhouette of depress woman standing in the dark with light shine behind

'We cannot continue to view child sexual abuse as something confined to the past... It is happening today'

90% of survey respondents believe society has failed to address child sexual abuse

Thu, 01 May, 2025

Centrist dads must get out of comfort zone to combat manosphere

Centrist dads must get out of comfort zone to combat manosphere

Men must engage with issues like pornography, the imbalance in childcare, the gender pay gap, men’s mental health, and gender-based violence

Tue, 29 Apr, 2025

24/8/2009 RTE Headquarters

S The hypocrisy of 'Raised by the Village', the show that is not serving 'troubled' teens

'Raised by the Village' condemns children's use of social media — pure hypocrisy when we consider how we are mining them for likes on a different medium

Wed, 23 Apr, 2025

Report reveals children with a first episode of psychosis waited a week in hospital A&E

Report reveals children with a first episode of psychosis waited a week in hospital A&E

The Mental Health Commission (MHC) report outlines the high number of children with acute mental health needs attending emergency departments in hospitals

Thu, 17 Apr, 2025

Cutting mental health funding 'immoral' says psychiatrist who saw 250% increase in patients

Cutting mental health funding 'immoral' says psychiatrist who saw 250% increase in patients

Dr Elizabeth Gethins was speaking during a discussion of the draft Mental Health Bill on Wednesday

Wed, 16 Apr, 2025

Call for halt to HSE outsourcing as State spent €93m on private mental healthcare last year

Call for halt to HSE outsourcing as State spent €93m on private mental healthcare last year

Labour health spokeswoman says HSE staff leave for the private sector for better pay and conditions — 'and then the HSE ends up paying those same providers to deliver care'

Wed, 16 Apr, 2025

'This must be backed up with funds': Mental health action plan gets cautious welcome

'This must be backed up with funds': Mental health action plan gets cautious welcome

The plan includes a new ‘single point of access’ for youth services, more staff recruitment and a phased roll-out of Electronic Health Records

Mon, 14 Apr, 2025

Businessman with a red umbrella standing under a big cloud

Good stress: Even when you're under a cloud, there is a silver lining

Everybody feels stressed at times - it’s a normal part of being human

Fri, 11 Apr, 2025

Distressed boy's knife attack on chaplain fuelled by online radicalisation

Distressed boy's knife attack on chaplain fuelled by online radicalisation

Youth had content on his devices and notebooks about the Islamic State terror group, including beheadings

Thu, 10 Apr, 2025

Parents of 17 year old who died by suicide launch High Court action against HSE

Parents of 17 year old who died by suicide launch High Court action against HSE

The couple are suing for nervous shock over the death of their daughter four years ago

Tue, 01 Apr, 2025

Hospital stock

Mental health services curtailed despite €1m weekly bill on agency nurses

The Psychiatric Nurses Association's deputy general secretary, Michael Hayes, said senior nurses are spending their time trying to find cover

Mon, 31 Mar, 2025

'If this is happening to my mother, it is everyone': Fears for patient safety at mental health unit

'If this is happening to my mother, it is everyone': Fears for patient safety at mental health unit

Mental Health Commission have inspectors downgraded the compliance rating of the centre to just 61% from 79% in 2020

Thu, 27 Mar, 2025

Alpaca therapeutic service for care home, in Ireland

'The impact is really positive': Irish farmer brings alpaca therapy to nursing homes and schools

A decade after ditching his office job for farming, 64-year-old 'Alpaca Joe' has found a new job for his herd of 71 woolly South American camelids: animal therapy for the elderly and people with additional needs

Wed, 26 Mar, 2025

'Serious concerns' raised about standards at mental health unit in Cork University Hospital

'Serious concerns' raised about standards at mental health unit in Cork University Hospital

Mental Health Commission inspectors raised red flags around patient safety, quality of the building, and staff shortages

Wed, 26 Mar, 2025

Children could be prescribed unnecessary medication due to gaps in mental health services

Children could be prescribed unnecessary medication due to gaps in mental health services

College of Psychiatrists in Ireland calls for overhaul of Camhs

Tue, 25 Mar, 2025

Mother and son looking out of window

Extreme and urgent homelessness is no longer an outlier in Ireland

A review of the Housing Act of 1988 presents an opportunity to design a new system that is fit for purpose and one that protects, rather than restricts, access to vital support, writes Mary Heavey

Mon, 24 Mar, 2025

Cork Tiktok star: ‘I felt worthless in care but rap saved my life’

Cork Tiktok star: ‘I felt worthless in care but rap saved my life’

Aaron Murphy — aka Rebel — is a teenager who raps about life in care and has clocked up hundreds of thousands of views online

Sun, 23 Mar, 2025