The cost of prescribed medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) under State schemes increased by 30 per cent in 2024, according to figures obtained by the Medical Independent.
In 2024, ADHD medication under the general medical scheme, drug payment scheme, and long-term illness scheme rose to €9.2 million, according to information provided under Freedom of Information (FoI) law. This compared with €7.1 million in 2023.
The increase reflects the growing numbers of adults and children diagnosed with ADHD. Currently, there are lengthy waiting times for treatment and assessment in child and adult mental health services.
The HSE ADHD in Adults National Clinical Programme published a model of care in 2021. The document outlined the significant deficit in clinical services for adults.
Between 2017 and 2024, some €4.1 million was allocated to the adult clinical programme, according to FoI data. However, almost €1.6 million was unspent and categorised as “remaining budget”. In 2024, there was no staff recruitment “in line with the HSE recruitment pause”. Recruitment to the programme has recommenced.
The estimated waiting time for assessments at the end of 2023 was between one and four years. Some 1,248 patients were awaiting assessment at the end of that year.
As of June 2025, there were eight adult teams funded, with seven operational and one team in recruitment, Minister of State for Mental Health Mary Butler told the Dáil last month. Additional funding was made available under Budget 2025 to roll out all further teams envisaged in the model of care.
According to the data released through FoI, the teams described as “operational” were functioning at a reduced clinical capacity range of between 16 and 80 per cent in 2024.
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