Nurses delivering community mental health services carrying costs of spiralling fuel costs
Thursday 16th April 2026 : Delegates attending the Annual Delegate Conference of the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) in Co. Cavan today (Thursday) have been told that despite a growing demand by young people and their families for CAMHS services the HSE is proposing to close a 10 bedded unit in St Vincent’s Hospital, Fairview, Dublin.
Addressing the PNA ADC, General Secretary, Peter Hughes described the proposed closure as “inconceivable” at a time when just over 50 CAMHS beds are operational nationally at present while the Government’s mental health strategy Vision for Change, recommended 100 beds.
Mr Hughes told delegates that in May 2022 the 11 bedded CAMHS Linn Dara unit, Cherry Orchard Dublin closed due to staff shortages, however, we were assured that it would reopen within four months.
“Four years later it is now proposed to open the beds in September this year but astonishingly the 10 bedded unit in St Vincent's Hospital will close at the same time.”
“The St Vincents service does not have the same staffing pressures as Linn Dara and effectively have full staffing. It is our understanding that very few of the St Vincents staff are interested in transferring to Linn Dara.”
“It is inconceivable that the HSE would propose to close the 10 beds in St Vincents when they are fully staffed. There is a serious concern that there will be insufficient staff to open the 11 beds in Linn Dara and to sustain staffing levels.”
Mr Hughes said difficulties in the recruitment and retention of psychiatric nurses also raises concerns on the ability to open the 20 CAMHS beds in the new National Children’s Hospital which is due to open early next year.
“To date we have had minimal engagement with the HSE and St Vincent’s service in relation to this inexplicable decision to close the beds there. We are calling on the HSE to pause this decision.
· Keep the 10 Fairview beds open
· Open the Linn Dara beds
· Open the 20 beds in the National Children’s Hospital
· On the completion of the opening of the Linn Dara beds and National Children's Hospital beds then review the requirement for the St Vincents beds.”
Addressing the issue of the mounting burden of fuel costs on those delivering mental health services in the community, Mr Hughes said that not only is the soaring cost of fuel impacting on PNA members ability to travel to and from work but also in their work as well.
“Our mental health services are predominantly community based so these increasing fuel costs are financially impacting on our community-based nurses who use their own transport to carry out their duties.”
“This issue has been raised with the HSE over the past few weeks where we have sought that mileage is paid at the highest band rate for the period of the crisis. The HSE have referred the matter to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) and are waiting for a response.”
“The relevant departments must address this matter, and it is our hope that we will not be forced to escalate the issue. But the issue is now urgent and must be acknowledged and solutions put in place.”
Mr Hughes said the impact of the continued underfunding of our mental health services and the need for a review of services for those with severe mental illness in our prisons had been graphically exposed in a two-part Primetime Investigates series on RTE.
Mr Hughes said psychiatric nurses across the country witness daily the consequences of this underfunding, inadequate staffing levels, long waiting lists for essential CAMHS services and community supports, and a system that relies all too often on crisis management.”
“In the case of our prison system, as delegates to our annual conferences over the years will be well aware that PNA has repeatedly highlighted that prisons are not, and never have been, appropriate environments for people experiencing acute mental illness.”
“However, underinvestment has created an unacceptable situation where Irish prisons are now housing a growing number of individuals whose primary need for access to psychiatric services are not being met.”
“Vision for Change recommended the provision of Intensive Care Rehabilitation Units (ICRUs) across the country to cater for those persons with enduring mental illness and challenging behaviour. Twenty years later none have been provided.”
“As in other aspects of our services Ireland continues to lag behind international norms for mental health funding, and the consequences are visible in every corner of the service—from CAMHS to adult care, rehabilitation, and forensic services.”
ENDS
