A Co Monaghan Senator has welcomed the €2 million in funding announced by Minister for Mental Health, Mary Butler to provide access to a suite of new talk therapies and counselling supports.
These supports will be specifically tailored for men and access to the services will begin from September 2025.
The funding is targeted at dealing with stigma reduction and actively encouraging men who otherwise would not usually avail of counselling to seek help with their mental health, to assist them in accessing mental health services, and to provide much-needed support for men experiencing a mental health crisis.
The initiative is part of Ireland’s approach to mental health policy implementation.
Senator Robbie Gallagher says for men who may be struggling with difficult thoughts and feelings, counselling and talk therapies can support them to feel heard.
Speaking to Northern Sound, Senator Gallagher reminded people that a problem shared – is always a problem halved.
He told Northern Sound; “This initiative widens access to support for men, from mental health promotion activities, right through to counselling services and specialist support. These supports will be made available to every GP in the country for direct signposting to men during consultations. They will also be available directly to men through our HSE helpline and yourmentalhealth.ie website and promoted in a targeted national marketing campaign beginning from September 2025.
“80% of all people who die by suicide are men, an imbalance is something we need to address and this initiative aims to do just that. For men who may be struggling with difficult thoughts and feelings, counselling and talk therapies can support them to feel heard, help them achieve a better understanding of what they are going through, and equip them with the skills to deal with difficult emotions and thoughts.”