Offaly Turn2Me CEO calls for increased funding for mental health in Budget 2026
Offaly native Fiona O'Malley, CEO of mental health charity Turn2Me, on the government to increase funding into mental health services in the 2026 Budget.
According to the 2024 Mental State of the World Report, Ireland has one of the lowest mental health scores in the EU.
Over 40% of Irish people have a mental health disorder and one in ten have attempted suicide. The average additional annual cost of having a mental health difficulty in Ireland in 2025 is €15,530.17.
The charity highlighted the ongoing gaps in service provision, long waiting lists, and the urgent need to expand access to timely and affordable mental health supports.
“Mental health is every bit as important as physical health, yet Ireland continues to lag behind international standards in how we fund and prioritise it," Ms O’Malley said.
“In Budget 2026, we are calling on Government to allocate increased resources so that no one is left waiting weeks or months for support. Minister Mary Butler has done wonderful work championing mental health services, but we would like to see increased investment in prevention, early intervention, and digital services – this will not only save lives but also reduce long-term pressures on the wider health system.”
Turn2Me emphasised several priority areas for investment: Expanding free and accessible services; Digital mental health services; Early intervention programmes; Workforce capacity; Public awareness campaigns.
In 2023, people in Ireland reported the highest level of difficulty accessing mental health supports of the 27 EU member states (44% of Irish respondents reported difficulty in accessing supports compared to an EU average of 25%[3]).
According to 2022 research conducted by MU, NCI and Trinity College, ‘Over 40% of Irish adults have a mental health disorder and one in ten have attempted suicide’.
“Mental health challenges have become more visible in recent years, but funding has not kept pace with demand,” O’Malley added.
“With the right funding in Budget 2026, we can ensure that services are there when people need them, that no one suffers in silence, and that mental health finally achieves parity with physical health.”
Turn2Me provides up to six free online counselling sessions, as well as support groups and a “Thought Catcher” mood diary for adults across Ireland, available on www.turn2me.ie.