College of Psychiatrists of Ireland

Lobbying Organisation College of Psychiatrists of Ireland

Date published 28 Jul, 2026

Relevant Matter Matters involving public funds

Public Policy Area Health

Period 1 May. 2026 to 31 Aug. 2026

Specific Details The College of Psychiatrists of Ireland and The Irish College of GPs sent a letter to Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, TD. The subject was chronic disease management and funding for mental health care for our most vulnerable patients.

Intended results We would like to get support for the inclusion of mental illness on the Chronic Disease Management (CDM) programme in primary care. There is overwhelming evidence that patients with major mental illness, whether on medication or not, die approximately 20 years younger than their age matched peers. This is largely due to complications of preventable physical illness. Patients with mental illness face significant barriers when accessing primary care services.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Dr Eimear McGuire (College of Psychiatrists of Ireland) & Dr Brian Osborne (Irish College of GPs)

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Letter (1)

In line with Sláintecare, we would like to ensure that our patients get the right treatment, in the right place, at the right time. It is clear that neither consultant psychiatrists nor GPs can adequately address the complex needs of this population alone. Investment in an integrated, interdisciplinary model of care would enable collaborative efforts among healthcare professionals, ultimately leading to better outcomes for those who are most vulnerable.

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill Minister (Department of Health)