#Mental Health

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#Mental Health

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>In the lead-up to strangling his father, the defendant Henry McGowan (pictured) described experiencing impulsive behaviour such as buying a "conspicuous pink coat" in Harrods in London and renting a Lamborghini in Paris. File photo: ABC7NY.com</p>

court and crime

Wealthy New Yorker found not guilty of murdering father at Laois resort by reason of insanity

Consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Stephen Monks said the accused told him he had smoked a lot of weed in high school during his mid-teens but stopped doing so by the age of 20

<p>Judge Boyle directed the attendance in court of an approved medical officer from the Central Mental Hospital to explain their position. File picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin</p>

court and crime

Cork man in need of urgent psychiatric care remanded in jail due to lack of room at CMH

<p> Paula and Michael Loughlin, parents of Jimmy Loughlin who died in 2018, when Richard McLaughlin burst through the front door of his home in Sligo and killed him with a crowbar. Picture: James Connolly</p>

comment-analysis

Ireland’s prison system under fire over treatment of inmates with mental illness

Mentally ill people in prisons are being failed

comment-analysis

Mentally ill people in prisons are being failed

Official Opening of the Central Mental Hospital, Portrane

ourview

Irish Examiner view: Failing at the most basic of expected standards

Minister to publish report into children’s mental health care in north Kerry within two weeks

munster

Minister to publish report into children’s mental health care in north Kerry within two weeks

Brother of man who died by suicide calling on government to establish mental health A&Es

Brother of man who died by suicide calling on government to establish mental health A&Es

Joe Loughnane's brother, Adam, died two hours after he presented himself as suicidal in the waiting room of the A&E at the University Hospital Galway

Tue, 10 Feb, 2026

Boy with smartphone indoors. Preteen boy using a phone checking social media. Concept of children using the smartphone

After 23 years of Safer Internet Days, are children any safer?

Governments say the era of self-regulation is over, but until we tackle the 'launch first, figure out the harm later' thinking, nothing will change, writes Alex Cooney of CyberSafeKids

Tue, 10 Feb, 2026

Young Girl In Bedroom Worried By Bullying Text Message

Half of children aged 8-12 at risk online with no parental restrictions, survey finds

CyberSafeKids says many children are exposed to the risk of engaging with strangers as it launches its 'Same Rules Apply' campaign

Tue, 10 Feb, 2026

Using mobile phone

Text helpline sees record number of struggling people make contact

Text service sees spike in conversations about housing problems and loneliness

Sun, 08 Feb, 2026

Family of Cork man who died in prison to feature in documentary on psychiatric care

Family of Cork man who died in prison to feature in documentary on psychiatric care

Andrew Gearns was suffering distressing delusions about being stabbed and had some six risk factors for suicide

Fri, 06 Feb, 2026

File Photo Minister for Health Leo Varadkar will launch the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill which sets out to reduce the damage tha

Government has no plans to raise minimum unit price for alcohol

Measure was first introduced in 2022 in a bid to reduce serious illness and death from alcohol consumption

Thu, 05 Feb, 2026

Waitress Serving Drinks To Group Of Friends Sitting At Table In Pub Garden Enjoying Drink Together

S Colin Sheridan: Saying please and thank you is common courtesy — but let’s draw the line at AI

Having been put in his place by his daughter (something all parents will recognise) Colin Sheridan figures we should err on the side of kindness and courtesy

Sat, 31 Jan, 2026

Teenager at mental health office

Number of teenagers with mental health issues attending drug addiction services 'through the roof'

Dual diagnosis and ADHD comprise large cohort of adolescent treatment cases, Dáil committee told

Fri, 30 Jan, 2026

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

One in 12 teens aged 15-19 have attempted suicide

"In a typical classroom of 25 senior-cycle students, five will report poor mental health, three will have self-harmed multiple times, and two will have attempted suicide..."

Fri, 30 Jan, 2026

Government turns to TikTok to highlight risks of cosmetic surgery abroad

Social media firms have 'too much discretion' over children's online safety with rules 'playing catch-up'

The Ombudsman for Children’s Office will tell the Oireachtas Children’s Committee the current legal framework to hold tech giants to account does not yet provide a 'clear, predictable' regulatory environment that makes sure online platforms fully respect children’s rights

Thu, 29 Jan, 2026

Photo of Sad girl looking out of window

Parents' fight for mental health services for their children 'wears you down and burns you out'

Oireachtas health committee heard parents of children with mental illness face huge distress in trying to access services and support

Wed, 28 Jan, 2026

Jigsaw sees 23% surge in demand as youth mental health waiting lists grow

Jigsaw sees 23% surge in demand as youth mental health waiting lists grow

Referrals to youth mental health service Jigsaw rose sharply last year, stretching staff capacity and driving longer waits in some counties

Wed, 28 Jan, 2026

Middle aged asia people old mom holding hands trust comfort help young woman talk crying stress relief at home. Mum as friend lo

'Parents of children with suicidal thoughts or who are self-harming being turned away from Camhs'

Families for Reform of Camhs will hear that families turning to hospital emergency departments to try and get urgent help

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

Daughter looking a phone and ignoring her mother

Social media use 'an increasing concern' for parents, says helpline

Parentline said calls referencing anger and aggression continue to dominate their helplines

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

Paschal Donohoe resignation

TD tells AI minister X has 'lied' to her about disabling Grok's nudification function

TD Paul Murphy told Niamh Smyth today: 'I just got someone in my office, with my consent, to undress me (using Grok).'

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

Young girl relax with her smartphone on a sofa

French lawmakers vote to ban social media use by under-15s

Legislation, which also bans mobile phones in high schools, would make France the second country after Australia to take such a step

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

Extremist views widespread in England's classrooms, say teachers

One in three pupils in disadvantaged schools missing a month or more of class, ESRI finds

New ESRI analysis shows chronic absenteeism remains entrenched in disadvantaged and special schools despite years passing since Covid

Mon, 26 Jan, 2026

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

Urgent need for child psychiatrists in hospital paediatric units, experts warn

Acute paediatric mental health admissions 'not recorded or regulated'

Sun, 25 Jan, 2026

Kids Having Fun

Jess Casey: Being a gifted child is no advantage in our education system

Education specialists and the mother of a 'twice-exceptional' child explode the myth that 'the bright kids in the class will be fine by themselves'

Sun, 25 Jan, 2026

Mick Clifford: Why the Enoch Burke saga is bigger than one teacher or one school

Mick Clifford: Why the Enoch Burke saga is bigger than one teacher or one school

The Enoch Burke case highlights legal uncertainty, policy paralysis and how culture-war politics risk eclipsing students’ real needs

Sun, 25 Jan, 2026

schoolgirl with headache stands at the blackboard

More than 300 children added to mental health service waiting lists in two months

Figures from the HSE confirm that 4,375 children were on waiting lists for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs) at the end of November

Fri, 23 Jan, 2026

Move!

Richard Hogan: Learning to cope with being ‘triggered’

Whenever I see a person in a shop overreacting to the shop assistant that isn’t moving quickly enough, or someone raging in traffic, all I see is the hurt little child that felt unseen or abandoned

Wed, 21 Jan, 2026

Opening of Inquest into deaths of Conor, Darragh and Carla McGinley

Complaint lodged over handling of evidence in Deirdre Morley's trial for her children's murder

Andrew McGinley has lodged the complaint on four grounds, including one which covers issues he has around what medication Deirdre Morley was taking when she killed Conor, 9, Darragh, 7, and Carla, 3

Mon, 19 Jan, 2026

Boy with smartphone indoors. Preteen boy using a phone checking social media. Concept of children using the smartphone

Grok app abuse is 'mild compared to AI girlfriend sites'

'AI girlfriend' websites ‘actively advertised to teens and pre-teens’

Mon, 19 Jan, 2026

Sad boy

New report reveals 'awful' and 'frightening' cases of severe child neglect and sexual assault

The Child Law Project, which reports on child protection proceedings, has published 77 new case reports to detail the kinds of cases that come before the courts

Mon, 19 Jan, 2026

Terry Prone: Should we burn books after finding out the author is a fraud?

S Terry Prone: Should we burn books after finding out the author is a fraud?

t’s a tough time to be a publisher... and a reader

Mon, 19 Jan, 2026

School attendance figures

Parents raise alarm at repurposing of special classes

Re-classification of early intervention classes as autism classes is raising concerns, writes Education Correspondent Jess Casey

Mon, 12 Jan, 2026

Gardaí investigating suspected murder-suicide to ask HSE service about father's state of mind

Gardaí investigating suspected murder-suicide to ask HSE service about father's state of mind

Gardaí are examining contact with mental health services and Tusla as part of a wide-ranging investigation into the child’s death

Fri, 09 Jan, 2026

File Photo The Health Service Executive has said it is working to establish how many patients may need to have their medical tes

New Camhs youth and parent panels due to start within months, HSE says

The bodies are part of HSE plans to improve the involvement of children and their parents in the running of the service

Fri, 09 Jan, 2026

Current Camhs system 'isn't fit for purpose' for neurodivergent users, say parents

Current Camhs system 'isn't fit for purpose' for neurodivergent users, say parents

Families for Reform of Camhs welcomed the research, stating that the findings 'ring true' for many of its members who have loved ones in the service

Fri, 09 Jan, 2026

Child counselor during psychotherapy session

Sustained investment and 'cultural shift' needed in Camhs

Professionals linked to the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (Camhs) say families must be partners in their children's care, Cormac O'Keeffe writes

Wed, 07 Jan, 2026

Cork v Tipperary - GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Semi-Final

Dividing young GAA players by ability can be ‘very beneficial’

PhD researcher says issue of GAA 'streaming' is an emotive one for parents and children

Tue, 06 Jan, 2026

Spectacular landscape of the Burren region of County Clare, Ireland. Exposed karst limestone bedrock at the Burren National Park

Gareth O'Callaghan: Why solitude still matters in an always-connected Ireland

A January reflection on solitude, nature, and why constant connection is eroding our inner lives and sense of self

Sat, 03 Jan, 2026

Winning an online bet on a football game

‘In a cost-of-living crisis, some turn to gambling to make ends meet’

Experts warn rising gambling spend, online advertising and new technologies risk deepening harm as regulation struggles to keep pace

Thu, 01 Jan, 2026

Spectators - woman checking phone

Sarah Harte: Feeling more content in 2026 can start with looking beyond yourself

As another year turns, maybe abandoning punishing resolutions and practising gratitude offers a more humane path to contentment

Wed, 31 Dec, 2025

Men in a Support Group

Reflecting on Ireland's mental health revolution

As we prepare for the new year, it’s time to reflect on the quiet mental health revolution taking place in Ireland

Wed, 31 Dec, 2025

‘Five years is nothing’: Parents explain why Christmas grief after baby loss never fades

‘Five years is nothing’: Parents explain why Christmas grief after baby loss never fades

Bereaved parents share why Christmas grief never fades and how small, thoughtful gestures can offer real comfort

Wed, 31 Dec, 2025

Visiting his Elderly Relative

John Lonergan: How older people can keep their spirits up this winter

Age Friendly ambassador John Lonergan offers practical tips for older people — and their friends and neighbours too — to mind their wellbeing through the long dark months

Fri, 26 Dec, 2025

Cork man found guilty of manslaughter of elderly patient by reason of diminished responsibility

Cork man found guilty of manslaughter of elderly patient by reason of diminished responsibility

The defence told the jury: 'Effectively, the issue is about mental disorder and the impact it had on what occurred.'

Thu, 18 Dec, 2025

Closeup image of a man and a woman clinking white coffee mugs in cafe

‘A lifeline for those who need it’: Limerick late-night cafe to offer free mental health services

In its pilot phase, Solace Café is open 6pm to midnight, from Thursday to Sunday

Sun, 14 Dec, 2025

'Partners should be involved in mental health treatment' say parents whose spouses killed their children

'Partners should be involved in mental health treatment' say parents whose spouses killed their children

Una Butler and Andrew McGinley whose spouses killed their children say this single measure would save lives

Sat, 13 Dec, 2025

Drugs Illustration

Ecstasy alert: HSE warns drug users about high-dose MDMA

One pill doesn’t mean one dose: HSE advises of the risk from ecstasy pills containing as much as 300mg of MDMA — 'the highest [dosage] we've ever seen in Ireland'

Fri, 12 Dec, 2025

Man jailed for threatening to 'slit the throat' of consultant at Cork mental health unit

Man jailed for threatening to 'slit the throat' of consultant at Cork mental health unit

The court heard the defendant was pleading guilty at the earliest opportunity and was keen to put these matters behind him and put his time in prison to good use

Wed, 10 Dec, 2025

Police fire Taser guns more frequently

Gardaí had to taser 'very, very troubled' Cork man who was self-harming, court told

The young man had breached his bail conditions by carrying a knife and taking intoxicants

Tue, 09 Dec, 2025