Funding for mental health services ‘should be doubled to €1.2bn’

FUNDING for mental health services should be doubled to €1.2 billion, Inspectorate of Mental Health Services inspector Dr Teresa Carey said yesterday.

Dr Carey was speaking ahead of the publication today of the watchdog’s first annual report, which will claim that poor funding is contributing to the high rate of involuntary admissions to mental institutions.

About 10% (2,400) of the 24,000 people admitted to psychiatric hospitals every year are detained against their will.