3335. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Health the number of women referred to specialist perinatal mental health services in each of the past five years; the average waiting time for assessment and treatment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55843/26]

The Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Services (SPMHS) is now available in all 19 maternity hospitals nationwide, providing support to pregnant women and women with a baby up to one year old, with an existing or new mental health problem. Funding of €5 million annually has established 6 consultant led multidisciplinary teams across major maternity hospitals (Coombe, NMH, Rotunda, Galway, Cork, Limerick), and 13 spoke sites staffed by perinatal mental health midwife posts. There are now over 75 funded posts in SPMHS nationally.

Under Budget 2026, I secured an additional €640,000 to recruit two additional consultant psychiatrists for the Programme’s busiest sites, the Rotunda and Holles Street, to meet growing demand for the service.

The HSE are progressing a review of the Model of Care for SPMHS, with a refreshed model published later this year. The key objective of this refresh is the provision of equivalent service to the major hospital sites as for the other 13 spoke sites, and this will be the focus of this second phase of the Model of Care.

With reference to the information requested as this is an operational issue, I have referred it to the HSE for direct reply to you.