461. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Health whether her Department and the HSE take account of the differing mental health needs of girls and boys in the planning and delivery of youth mental health services, the measures being taken to address higher reported levels of anxiety and stress among girls; and whether gender-responsive early intervention supports are being developed. [75108/26]

It is a priority for me, and for Government, to ensure that children who need mental health services can access them in a timely manner. All aspects of mental health care, including the specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), are being enhanced in line with the implementation of our mental health policy Sharing the Vision 2020-2030, our new suicide reduction policy Connecting for Life: 2026-2035 and the HSE National Service plans.

As the Deputy may be aware, I marked World Mental Health Day 2026 by announcing an investment of €11 million that will strengthen early intervention, youth mental health and community-based supports across Ireland.

At the centre of the package is an investment of €3.8 million to establish four new Jigsaw services in Dún Laoghaire and across counties Kildare, Cavan, Monaghan, Sligo and Leitrim. Jigsaw provides free support for young people aged 12 to 25 experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties. Once operational next year, these new services will extend access to an estimated 135,000 additional young people across six counties, increasing national coverage of such services from 75% to 90%.

I also announced further investment in two key community-based counselling and talk therapy initiatives, the Free Men's Counselling Programme, and the Community Therapy Fund. An additional €2.8 million in Budget 2027 will increase recurring funding for these programmes to €5.8 million annually, enabling the delivery of an additional 59,000 free counselling sessions each year. Since its launch, more than 8,200 men have engaged with the Free Men's Counselling Programme, many accessing support for the first time, with over 24,000 free counselling sessions delivered to date.

By increasing investment in early intervention and talk therapies again this year, we are building substantial capacity to deliver almost 60,000 counselling sessions under the men’s counselling and community therapy programmes alone. These supports will continue to deliver early access to stigma-free and quality services across our communities.

In addition, I secured further investment of over €3.5 million to strengthen specialist care within CAMHS. This includes additional clinical staff to establish a dedicated ADHD pathway and enhanced Mental Health Intellectual Disability (MHID) services for children and young people with complex needs. The new resources will support faster access to assessment and care, with a particular focus on children waiting longest for services.

Recognising the important role of recovery-focused and non-clinical supports, I am also investing €500,000 to expand Social Farming initiatives for young people attending CAMHS and for people living in community mental health residences. Social Farming provides opportunities for people to build confidence, develop social connections and participate in meaningful activities in community settings, supporting recovery and overall wellbeing.

A further €1 million is also being invested to strengthen Mental Health Engagement and Recovery services through the recruitment of 18 additional staff, including peer support workers, family support workers, recovery coordinators and Individual Placement and Support coordinators. These services help people experiencing mental health difficulties to build independent lives, strengthen community connections and access employment, education and other opportunities that support long-term recovery.

This package forms part of the record €1.657 billion allocated to mental health services in Budget 2027, an increase of €108 million on 2026 and more than 60% higher than the level of investment in 2020.

It is important to note that the implementation of Sharing the Vision is grounded in a spirit of inclusivity and equity of access. More specifically, the policy recognises that certain groups in our population are more likely to experience mental health difficulties. Sharing the Vision requires mental health services to recognise and respond to diversity, while delivering supports that reflect cultural humility. The proposed approach concentrates on eliminating discrimination and promoting equality of access to services.

Trauma-informed care is also a key service delivery principle underpinning the delivery of Sharing the Vision. Trauma-informed service delivery means that everyone at all levels of the mental health services and wider mental health provision has a basic understanding of trauma and how it can affect families, groups, organisations, communities and individuals. People delivering services must recognise the signs of trauma, which may be gender-, age-, or setting-specific.

In addition, the Women’s Mental Health Specialist Group of the National Implementation and Monitoring Committee for Sharing the Vision published a report in 2023 entitled “Embedding Women’s Mental Health in Sharing the Vision” which calls for all services to be gender-sensitive and trauma-aware, to respond to the unique individual circumstances and needs of people who use them. In collaboration with the National Women's Council, work has progressed on the development of a Gender-Sensitive Toolkit informed by the Specialist Group Report.

Inclusive youth mental health services is also a key theme within the HSE Child and Youth Mental Health Office’s new Action Plan which recognises the cultural and diverse needs of the whole population, including priority groups. Reducing the stigma and discrimination associated with mental health difficulties is central to improved wellbeing at a societal level and to improve help-seeking behaviour among young girls and boys.

I will continue to work closely with the HSE to ensure that all aspects of youth mental health care are improved over this year and beyond.

I have referred the Deputy's question to the HSE for direct reply in relation to the detailed operational information sought.