Mattie McGrath raises alarm over Tipperary mental-health beds
Mattie McGrath raised urgent concerns about mental health services in County Tipperary, stating the county has no long-stay psychiatric beds and seeking an update on a crisis house. He urged provision of long-stay support for people with psychosis and highlighted loss of local psychiatric units.
Summary of concerns
Mattie McGrath told the Dáil that there is not a single long-stayed bed in the entire county of Tipperary, covering the area "from Caliganshure up to Laura." He asked the Minister of State for an update on a crisis house and pressed for long-stay services for people "down on their luck" and suffering mental illness.
Local service shortfalls
McGrath said Vision for Change promised much but the county has lost services, citing the loss of St Michael's Psychiatric Unit and St Luke's. He warned that Kilkenny is full, does not normally accommodate patients from South Tipperary, and patients are being forced to go elsewhere.
Minister's response
The Minister acknowledged the issue and said many young people aged 18 to 25 are suffering with psychosis. The Minister noted links between cannabis consumption and psychosis, described teams on the ground, and referenced pilot programmes underway in Cork and Sligo with a view to extension.
Next steps and capacity review
The Minister said a bed capacity review is underway and is due next week; it will examine capacity issues. The Minister also reported there is capacity currently in the Ennis Department of Psychiatry and the Kilkenny Department of Psychiatry, while McGrath continues to press for a crisis house update and long-stay provision.
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I do want to raise a serious situation of mental health and people with psychosis problems in the county of Tipperary. We don't have a single long-stayed bed in the entire county of Tipperary. I said already it goes from Caliganshure up to Laura. And I want to ask the Minister of State who's here. Vision for Change promised so much. We lost St Michael's Psychiatric Unit, we lost St Luke's, we lost so much. But we don't have. Kilkenny is full and normally don't accommodate the patients from South Tipperary. And not really have to go elsewhere. So I'm asking the Minister to give an update on the crisis house. But we need, definitely need, a long stay for people who do be down on their luck and down on their times and for different reasons are suffering ill health and mental illness and need to be supported. But we don't have the services. Thank you. Minister Butler. Deputy, thank you for raising this issue and you have raised it several times before. In relation to psychosis, many young people are suffering with psychosis. It's an area we see, particularly in those aged 18 to 25. There are absolutely huge links in relation to the consumption of cannabis and psychosis. So we have several, we have several very good teams on the ground. We have a fantastic pilot programme underway in Cork at the moment and another one in Sligo and I hope to extend them. That's the first part of your question. In relation to bed capacity, there is a bed capacity review underway. I'm due to have it by next week. It's been promised with a while and that will look at capacity issues. But just to say there is capacity both in the Ennis Department of Psychiatry and the Kilkenny Department of Psychiatry at the moment. Thank you. It's just a
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