The Irish prison population has been “exploding” in the past year but staff are unable to offer adequate mental health services, an Oireachtas Committee has been told. At the Oberstown detention facility for young people, Ms Malone said there were “concerns” for 23 of its 50 residents regarding mental health last month. Prof Harry Kennedy of the National Forensic Mental Health Service (NFMHS) said four children at the facility were currently on anti-psychotic medication. He said this month 323 people, from an overall prison population of nearly 4,000, were deemed to have been suffering from severe mental illness. Mr Donnellan said while the HSE granted approval for consultant-led mental health services there, as well as in Cork and Limerick prisons, in 2016, the HSE had been unable to hire anyone.

Source: The Irish Times May 23, 2018 18:22 UTC