Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Independent)
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80. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills how his Department plans to address the critical shortfall in mental health services for university students, which currently stands at one counsellor for every 2,240 students, when an organisation (details supplied) recommends 1 to 1,500 students at maximum and 1 to 1,000 as an aspirational ratio; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26547/24]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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Wellbeing and student mental health are priorities for my Department.

In terms of providing supports and funding to the higher education sector for mental health services, higher education institutions (HEIs) receive funding from a variety of sources that contribute to the expenditure associated with the full range of institutional activities.

This includes recurrent funding allocated by my Department to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for direct disbursement to HEA funded higher education institutions. Recognising the pressures on students arising from COVID and cost-of-living issues, since 2020 my Department has provided a total of €20.9 million in additional funding to Higher Education Institutions to support mental health measures for students on their educational journey.

This funding is to further support Higher Education Institutions in meeting the mental health and wellbeing needs of their student population and in implementing the National Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Framework (2020).

HEIs in receipt of this additional funding are encouraged to distribute it in support of specific student-facing areas, such as:

• Recruitment of additional Student Counsellors
• Recruitment of additional Assistant Psychologists
• Head of Service posts
• Training of staff to enable them to support and refer students to appropriate services.
• Raising awareness among students of mental health and wellbeing services available, including through student outreach activities

HEIs have reported a breadth of positive impacts, from a reduction in engagement times to an increase in the number of sessions provided.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.