The prevalence and impact of mental health difficulties in Ireland is significant and growing. One in ten adults here has a mental health difficulty at any one time, while almost 20% of young people aged 19-24 and 15% of children aged 11-13 years have experienced a diagnosable mental health disorder at some point in their young lives. The number of people disabled by a mental health difficulty is also growing at an alarming rate, with a jump of 28.7% between 2011 and 2016.

The research presented in the following report supports the argument for increased expenditure in mental health services. It shows the great value members of the public place on investment in the Irish mental health system and, critically, that the public’s preference for such investment is substantially higher than has generally been understood to date.

In comparing investment in a mental health programme against other legitimate health programmes, members of the public were willing to prioritise and invest more in mental healthcare. Furthermore, participants with no previous experience of mental health difficulties prioritized investment in a mental health programme to the same level as participants generally. The research also shows that the public believes there is a need for more investment in Irish mental health services and that there is too little focus on mental health.