Poor mental health service criticised

A lack of seven-day mental health services in communities was criticised by Fianna Fail’s mental health spokesperson, James Browne.

The HSE confirmed six community healthcare areas were faced with “significant deficits in service provision”.

Mr Browne said “The need for out-of-hours access to mental health services nationwide is critical.

“Counties such as Galway and Wicklow are sadly without access and so too are big towns such as Portlaoise, Tullamore and Longford, and major parts of west Dublin,. Without a seven-day service, people must go to emergency departments which are not an appropriate setting.”