TD calls for 24/7 mental health emergency staff for Louth hospital

Sinn Féin TD for Louth Ruairí Ó Murchú has called for 24/7 staff for mental health emergencies in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.

Deputy Ó Murchú was addressing the Dáíl during Sinn Féin's motion on emergency mental health services which was not opposed by the government.

The Louth TD said there were particular issues in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital and mental health services have spoken to hospital management. He said he hoped an arrangement can be made later this year that there will be some sort of 24/7 facility within the hospital for proper assessments.

Deputy Ó Murchú said Emergency Departments (EDs) are not the place for those with mental health problems and said the Sinn Féin motion was "absolutely straightforward".

“At times, people get sent over to Drogheda Department of Psychiatry in Crosslanes and the problem is that is an operating hospital, so people may have to wait a huge length of time and that does not work."

“We need to see not only community and early interventions but we also need to see emergency beds as we do not have a sufficient number in our area."

“There are ten beds promised as an extension at Crosslanes and also in relation to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital. We need to see the primary care setting in Dundalk to ensure the community services we have are at least in appropriate accommodation”.

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Minister for State with the Department of Health Mary Butler said the government would not oppose the motion and said "there was nothing I did not agree with". 

Minister Butler said it is an area of critical importance for people facing a mental health crisis, and for their families and loved ones trying to support them. 

She said Budget 2026 includes funding for 300 additional "whole-time-equivalent staff for mental health services this year, with more than €15 million in ring-fenced funding to expand crisis supports and targeted suicide prevention initiatives."

Although, Minister Butler acknowledged out-of-hours cover has remained a challenge and resolving it is a priority. 

She confirmed new crisis nursing teams that will work late nights and early mornings will be rolled out to all model 4 hospitals this year and plans to extend that to model 3 hospitals, such as Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, in future budgets.