Evaluating Ireland’s capacity to meet the mental health care needs of refugees and asylum seekers

Abstract

Population displacement is a current, accelerating global trend and countries have legal obligations to offer asylum seekers refuge and timely rehabilitation. The mental health of this population is shaped by traumatic experiences, making access to specialist mental health services a critical part of meeting responsibilities. This perspective paper explores Ireland’s mental health services for refugees and asylum seekers and finds it insufficiently equipped due to underfunding, workforce shortages, lack of specialist units and insufficient numbers of specialist trained psychotherapists. Comparative European examples indicate that targeted policies, coordinated investment, and specialist workforce are essential to support legal obligations and meaningful integration. These findings aim to prompt Irish policymakers and healthcare providers to consider strategic reform.