'Something has to change' in Ireland’s 'inadequate' youth mental health system

Almost 15,000 college students were seen on campus by Psychological Counsellors in Higher Education in Ireland (PCHEI) in the academic year 2020/21 out of a student body of some 245,000 people.

Ireland’s youth mental health system is increasingly under pressure — over-stretched, under-resourced, and, in large parts, inadequate.

Dr Joseph Duffy, CEO of Jigsaw, the National Centre for Youth Mental Health told the Oireachtas Sub-Committee on Mental Health that demand continues to outstrip the system's ability to cope.