Community Therapy Ireland calls for investment in Dundalk Counselling Centre

Community Therapy Ireland, a national membership organisation for community therapeutic service providers, is calling on the state to invest in Dundalk counselling Centre to respond to increasing demand and waiting lists for therapy in the North East Region.  

On Tuesday, Community Therapy Ireland hosted an event Buswells Hotel with keynote speakers Deputy Gary Gannon, Fiona Coyle, Mental Health Reform CEO, Sarah Jane Hennelly, Community Therapy Ireland CEO, Elizabeth McGuckin, Community Therapy Ireland Chairperson, and Des Bailey, Service Manager for Kerry Adolescent Counselling Service,

Dundalk Counselling Centre is one of 26 member services who attended this event and were supported by many TD's on the day in their call for investment to meet local demand for therapy. 

Community Therapy Ireland services are charities that are contracted by the Government to provide counselling and psychotherapy for children and families to the State.

Together since 2014, Community Therapy Ireland services have provided therapy to 84,136 people and delivered over 626,000 counselling sessions on a low cost or free of charge basis. In 2023, they provided therapy to 6,183 people and delivered 55,300 counselling sessions. Dundalk Counselling Centre responded to over 500 people last year, offering over 6,500 therapeutic sessions. 

The event welcome elected representatives from across Ireland, including Deputy Mark Ward (SF), Deputy Paul Donnelly (SF), Deputy Alan Farrell (FG), Deputy Padraig O’Sullivan (FF), Deputy Michael Healy Rea (Ind), Deputy Cathal Berry (Ind), and Senator Jerry Buttimer (FG).

Keynote speaker Deputy Gary Gannon, who spoke recently of his ADHD diagnosis and the importance of affordable therapy said, “Community Therapy – well funded and established throughout our cities, towns, and villages, would be transformative to Irish society.”

A recent parliamentary question submitted by Community Therapy Ireland showed a total of 3,808 people were waiting for appointments for HSE’s Counselling and Primary care services across Ireland, as of January 31st, 2024. Waiting lists are highest in CHO 8, (Laoise, Offaly, Longford, Westmeath, Louth, Meath) with a total of 808 people on waiting lists. 

Sarah Jane Hennelly, Community Therapy Ireland CEO said: “Timely access to counselling is vital not just for the person who needs it but also at a clinical level. The earlier therapy can be provided the more likely there is to be a positive outcome in terms of improved client well-being, symptom reduction and reduced psychological distress.”

“The State alone is not fit to meet the growing demands we are seeing since the pandemic. It’s extremely frustrating for our sector. We could do a lot more, but chronic underfunding is limiting our ability to respond.”  

Centre Manager Liz McGucckin said "The waiting list at the moment for services at Dundalk Counselling Centre are 160 Adults, 164 Child and Adolescent, 13 Families and 28 Couples.  We could respond to this in the morning given consistent and sustainable funding".

Sarah Jane continued, “We are vital services, but the reality is our members operate with an average annual funding shortfall of 60%. State funding to our services was cut in 2009 by over 40% and it’s never returned to pre-crash levels. The increase in overhead costs and demand for services is putting us under enormous pressure.”

“We are offering a solution to the state’s growing challenges around demand for affordable and accessible therapy. With proper investment and funding security, we can scale up and focus on what we do best – delivering therapy to those who need it, when they need it, regardless of their ability to pay”.