3592. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the current arrangements with regard to equity and access in the specialist perinatal mental health services at a hospital (details supplied); if this is in line with the principles that underpin the specialist mental health model of care; if this service should be free for all patients, regardless of whether they are public, private or semi-private patients; if the arrangements in place differ from other sites; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56982/26]

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 Steering Group due to be established shortly and 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.

A key priority under this Model of Care is to develop a Perinatal Mother and Baby Unit (PMBU). Work is ongoing by the HSE to progress the development of an PMBU for Ireland, an inpatient mental health service with relevant maternity support to allow women to stay with their babies during their mental health treatment.

To meet the needs of new mothers with moderate to severe mental illness, the PMBU must be situated at a location with access to a maternity hospital as well as an acute mental health unit. This will ensure there is always mental health and maternity expertise available. As such, it is envisaged that the PMBU will be developed on the grounds of St Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin, and a feasibility study is currently underway to determine a location within the campus, with the study due to conclude shortly. The outcome of the study will form the basis for the next key decisions on the project.

In addition, HSE Mid-West are progressing plans for six-bed Perinatal Mental Health Unit on the St Joseph’s Hospital campus in Limerick.

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