Minister for Mental Health Mary Butler TD has announced the start of recruitment for 10 specialist mental health nursing teams aimed at strengthening out-of-hours crisis supports in emergency departments (EDs) nationwide. Recruitment is now underway, with the HSE and hospital management working to have the new teams in place as soon as possible.
The new teams are part of a broader programme of mental health crisis service reform being delivered under the national policies Sharing the Vision and Connecting for Life (2026-2035). Minister Butler secured more than €15million in dedicated funding for crisis supports and targeted suicide prevention measures in Budget 2026. This includes €4million for community-based teams and services and €2.8million to establish specialist out-of-hours mental health crisis nursing teams in all Model 4 hospitals, as well as Mercy University Hospital, Cork.
The teams will comprise Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANPs) and Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs), providing specialist support to people presenting to EDs during a mental health crisis. The new posts are being introduced in response to evidence showing that many presentations involving self-harm and suicidal ideation occur during evening and overnight hours, when additional specialist support is required.
The following hospitals will receive a new team of four staff – two ANPs and two CNSs:
✽ Tallaght University Hospital
✽ St James’s Hospital
✽ Mater Hospital
✽ Beaumont Hospital
✽ St Vincent’s University Hospital
✽ Waterford University Hospital
✽ University Hospital Limerick
✽ Cork University Hospital
✽ Mercy University Hospital
✽ University Hospital Galway.
Minister Butler said: “Operating out of hours, the teams will support frontline hospital staff in responding to people who present in crisis. While we are directing the majority of our investment towards community-based alternatives to EDs, we know from both evidence and experience that hospitals must also be equipped to provide a more effective and compassionate response to people in acute mental distress.
“Improving crisis mental health services is one of my key priorities for 2026. We are investing across the entire crisis care pathway, including these new specialist nursing teams, new community-based Crisis Resolution Teams, additional Crisis or ‘Solace’ Cafés, and six new Suicide Crisis Assessment Nursing teams to support GPs in the community. Our goal is to ensure that people experiencing a mental health crisis can access support quickly, compassionately, and as close to home as possible.”
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