Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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886. To ask the Minister for Health the services available nationally to support those who have suffered from child loss. [32556/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for the question. The government is committed to the delivery of services that support people who have experienced the loss of a child.

Responsibility for bereavement counselling and associated services are assigned across a number of service areas. The HSE National Counselling Service is an essential part of HSE mental health provision and provides a professional, confidential, counselling and psychotherapy service. The service is available in all HSE Community Health areas and operates from over 240 locations throughout Ireland.

The HSE provide a range of bereavement supports while also working in partnership with the voluntary and community sector. The Adult Bereavement Care Pyramid is a framework to guide those working with and supporting bereaved people across the country. It was developed through a national collaborative process, managed by the Irish Hospice Foundation and supported by the HSE. Support is provided in line with the Adult Bereavement Care Pyramid which highlights four levels of support that people may require following a bereavement. Levels of support range from Level 1 (community support, self-help resources) to Level 4 (specialist counselling). For adults requiring Level 3 and 4 supports, the HSE provides bereavement counselling through Counselling in Primary Care across the country.

The voluntary organisation First Light provides therapeutic services to suddenly bereaved parents and family members across Ireland. Anam Cara is a charity founded by bereaved parents to ensure all bereaved families have access to information and support. They provide a wide range of bereavement support services and peer support which are available to all parents regardless of the age or circumstances of their child’s death.

Both organisations have been allocated recurrent funding of €75,000 each since the HSE National Service Plan in 2023. This funding will further enhance bereavement supports for parents after the death of a child.

The Irish Hospice Foundation in partnership with the HSE provide a bereavement support helpline which is available to the general public. It provides a confidential safe space for individuals who have lost a loved one, friend or colleague, to talk about their loss and grief.

Laura Lynn Children’s Hospice provides bereavement counselling on a national basis to families in need. The hospice receives core funding from the HSE. In 2023, €800,000 was provided in additional recurrent funding to Laura Lynn increasing their base funding to €2.3 million per year. An additional €0.5 million was provided in 2025, increasing Laura Lynn state funding to €3.3 million.

The Irish Childhood Bereavement Network provide information and resources for coping with grief in children, adolescents and families. Rainbows and Barnardos also provide bereavement supports for children and young people.