New national mental hospital a 'philosophical' change in treatment 

The National Forensic Mental Hospital (pictured) in Portrane in north county Dublin will replace the previous Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum which was over 170 years old. Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

The opening of the new €200m National Forensic Mental Hospital has been heralded as a "philosophical" change in the approach to mental health treatment in Ireland.

Based in Portrane in north county Dublin, the new facility will replace the previous Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum which was over 170 years old. The 170-bed centre has a designated female-only unit, as well as a forensic Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) unit.