The Third Annual Report of the High Level Taskforce (HLTF) on Mental Health and Addiction again highlights the good progress and concerted efforts over the last year to better support those in the criminal justice system with mental health and/or addiction issues and to make a meaningful difference to their treatment. Tracking progress on meeting this key commitment of Government ensures that the critical mental health needs of people in prison are improved, that addiction treatments are provided and that appropriate primary care supports are available on release. We know that the needs of those who interact with the criminal justice system are complex and given how often they are influenced by mental health and addiction challenges, a collaborative approach remains essential to sustain progress for some of the most vulnerable, and indeed forgotten people within our society.

Key progress on High Level Taskforce (HLTF) recommendations over the last year includes:

Launch of the Community Access Support Team (CAST) pilot project in Limerick.

€2.1 million provided to open the remaining 18 beds in the Central Mental Hospital.

€2 million provided for new talk therapies and counselling supports specifically for men.

Appointment of Irish Prison Service (IPS) Mental Health and Addiction Lead.

Continued rollout of the following Models of Care: Dual Diagnosis, Consultation Liaison Psychiatry, Early Intervention in Psychosis, ADHD and Crisis Resolution Services.

Development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) under way to create easy access to case management services to ensure that mental health difficulties can be treated within social inclusion/primary care and prison settings.

Passage of the Mental Health Bill through Committee Stage in the Dáil in June 2025, Report stage in July 2025 and Second Stage in the Seanad in September 2025. Publication of “Community or Custody? A Review of Evidence and Sentencers’ Perspectives on Community Service Orders and Short-Term Prison Sentences”.

Healthy Ireland seminar entitled “Developing a Healthy Prisons Framework for Ireland – Improving the health and wellbeing of those who work and live in prisons”.

Development of the next Suicide and Self-Harm Reduction Strategy, informed by an evaluation of Connecting for Life 2015-2024 and a public consultation process.

Launch of Ireland’s first Mental Health Promotion Plan - ‘Pathways to Wellbeing’.

Proposal progressing to provide Virtual Care to prisoners that embeds a structured, specialist-led pathway to manage high-burden chronic diseases.