Minister for Mental Health prioritises new eating disorder and perinatal facilities in Capital Plan
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From: Department of Health
- Published on: 25 February 2026
- Last updated on: 25 February 2026
- Allocation of €40.57 million to initiate and progress 43 mental health capital projects in 2026
- Ministerial priorities include new regional eating disorder inpatient centres for adults and perinatal mother and baby units for Dublin and Limerick
- €470 million investment programme for Mental Health Services over the next five years
Minister for Mental Health Mary Butler has set out her priorities for capital projects for 2026, with over €40 million allocated to initiate and progress mental health infrastructure projects this year.
The funding represents another record level of investment in 43 separate mental health capital projects across the country, with annual investment set to increase further over the next four years.
Minister Butler is prioritising the development of three regional adult Eating Disorder Inpatient Centres this year to provide improved access to specialist public beds in Cork, Dublin and the North West. The new facilities will provide specialist inpatient eating disorder care closer to home people who are acutely unwell and reduce the Health Service Executive’s (HSE’s) current reliance on private placements.
Another ministerial priority is the development of Ireland’s first Perinatal Mother and Baby Units to support the mental health of pregnant women and new mothers. Funding has been allocated to advance the establishment of a Perinatal Mental Health Unit which will be co-located with the new National Maternity Hospital on the St Vincent’s University Hospital campus in Dublin. In addition, HSE Mid-West are progressing plans for six-bed Perinatal Mental Health Unit on the St Joseph’s Hospital campus in Limerick.
Minister Butler is also determined to drive progress to redevelop six priority Acute Mental Health Units in 2026 to provide an improved therapeutic and recovery-focused environment for people admitted for mental health treatment. This includes new and upgraded facilities in Waterford, Roscommon, Cork, North Dublin, Kildare and South Dublin.
Funding has also been allocated to progress the development of new departments of psychiatry for Cavan General Hospital and St. Luke’s Hospital Kilkenny.
A new 10-bed specialist Community Mental Health Unit has been included in the plan for Wexford to provide intensive short stay care and treatment to people experiencing mental health difficulties in the county.
The investment for 2026 is the first tranche of funding to be allocated from an overall total of €470 million earmarked for mental health projects in the National Development Plan 2026-2030. Minister Butler will publish a 10-year Capital Plan for Mental Health shortly which will set out a strategic investment plan to maximise the unprecedented level of investment in the mental health capital estate.
Unveiling the Capital Plan for Mental Health for 2026, Minister Butler said:
“The Capital Plan for 2026 drives forward an exciting programme of investment in mental health infrastructure across the country. We now have significant resources to transform our mental health facilities to create safe, therapeutic and recovery-focused environments for people experiencing acute mental illness.
“It has long been my priority to improve access to specialist public beds for adults with eating disorders and we are going to develop three regional inpatient centres in Dublin, Cork and the North West with a total of 22 dedicated beds.
“I am also determined we will open new perinatal beds for pregnant and new mothers so they can receive specialist multidisciplinary maternity and mental health care without having to be separated from their babies. We will co-locate one such facility in Dublin at St Vincent’s with the new national maternity hospital, but I am also thrilled that under the leadership of HSE Mid-West REO Sandra Broderick, we will also develop a six-bed unit in Limerick for new mothers in the West of the country.
“This year’s capital plan also sees significant funding allocated to progress six priority Acute Mental Health Units in Waterford, Roscommon, Cork, North Dublin, Kildare and South Dublin and a new 10-bed specialist community unit for Wexford.”
The Minister concluded:
“There is huge momentum behind transforming the mental health capital estate thanks to €470 million of investment under the National Development Plan 2026-2030.
“I will soon publish a 10-year Capital Plan for Mental Health which will set out a long-term vision for this investment and build further on the priorities I have set out in the plan for the coming year.”
Notes:
The Mental Health Capital Plan 2026 includes:
- Acute Mental Health Unit, Cavan General Hospital
- Purpose-built 10-bed Community Rehabilitation Residence (CRR), Midleton, Co. Cork
- Mental Health Unit, St. Finbarr's Hospital, Cork
- Mental Health Unit including Specialist Eating Disorder Unit, St. Stephen's Hospital, Co. Cork
- Community Team Building & Day Hospital, Drumcondra
- Refurb of Specialist Mental Health Homeless Centre, Dublin 8
- Extension to Acute Day Hospital, Clonskeagh, Dublin 6
- Purpose-built 10 bed High Support Community Residence, Finglas Dublin 11
- 10-bed Mental Health Unit, Grangegorman Dublin 7
- Acute Mental Health Unit, Mater Hospital Dublin
- Reconfiguration of Jonathan Swift Unit, St. James’ Hospital Dublin
- Acute Mental Health Unit, including Specialist Adult Eating Disorder Unit and Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Unit, St Vincent’s Hospital Dublin
- Purpose-built 10 High Support Community Residence, Swords, Co. Dublin
- High Support Community Residence, Celbridge, Co. Kildare
- Acute Mental Health Unit, including replacement Intensive Care Beds, Naas General Hospital
- Community CAMHS Hub, St. Canice’s Hospital Kilkenny
- Acute Mental Health Unit, St. Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny
- Community Mental Health Centre, Portlaoise, Co. Laois
- High Support Community Residence, St. Fintan's Hospital, Co. Laois
- Community Team Hub for Adult ADHD and Crisis Resolution Teams, Dolmen House, Limerick
- Community CAMHS Hub, St. Joseph’s Hospital Limerick
- Integrated Perinatal Mental Health Mother & Baby Unit & Child and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Inpatient Facility, St Joseph’s Hospital Limerick
- Mental Health Residential Unit, Ashford House, Longford
- Psychiatry of Later Life Unit, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, Co. Louth
- 10 Bed High Support Community Residence, Tullamore, Co. Offaly
- Acute Mental Health Unit, Roscommon
- Acute Mental Health Unit, Waterford
- Mental Health Day Centre & Rehab Psychiatry Team, Mullingar, Westmeath
- Mental Health Residential Unit, St. Vincent's Hospital, Athlone, Co. Westmeath