‘Terrifying’ - Mental health patients being turned away at University Hospital Waterford

Mental health patients are being refused services at University Hospital Waterford (UHW) due to capacity issues, the Dáil has heard.

Wexford Sinn Féin TD Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin raised the issue during a recent Dáil debate on mental health services.

Deputy Ó Súilleabháin spoke on the closure of St. Senan’s psychiatric hospital in 2013.

He said that since then, Wexford has had no dedicated mental health unit, with patients often being referred to UHW.

He cited figures which show that over 1,000 people presented to Wexford General Hospital with mental health problems last year.

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Deputy Ó Súilleabháin continued: “What is truly terrifying is that these thousands of people had no dedicated mental health facility available locally.

“I live on the Wexford-Wicklow border. It is a long way from Waterford hospital.

“In my office, we received far too many reports of patients waiting and being referred to an antiquated psychiatric department in Waterford city, only to be discharged or often refused services within hours due to a lack of staff or lack of space.

“I am sure the Minister of State will agree it is completely unacceptable to have these circumstances in 2026 in a country that is awash with money.”

Deputy Ó Súilleabháin was addressing Waterford Fianna Fáil TD and Minister of State with Responsibility for Mental Health, Mary Butler.

He told Minister Butler that the antiquated psychiatric unit in Waterford hospital is a “completely inappropriate setting”, for children in particular.

He called for funding to be allocated to mental health services at Wexford General Hospital.

In response to Deputy Ó Súilleabháin, Minister Butler said she was “deeply disappointed” with how he had described services at UHW.

She explained how Waterford and Wexford have been amalgamated under one Integrated Healthcare Area (IHA).

She added that she would be meeting with the IHA manager, Dr. Sinéad Reynolds, in the next two weeks to discuss issues in the region.

Minister Butler continued: “I take umbrage with how the deputy portrayed the department of psychiatry led by the clinical director, Dr. Vwoke Akpubi, in University Hospital Waterford.

“On two occasions, the deputy said it was an antiquated service. That is not true. Maybe the deputy meant the building, but the service is not antiquated.”

She pointed out that St. Senan’s Hospital had closed before either her or Deputy Ó Súilleabháin had got involved in national politics.

She went on to explain how current mental health referrals are dealt with across Waterford and Wexford.

Minister Butler stated: “When St. Senan's was closed, a decision was taken that all referrals would be made to University Hospital Waterford.

“There are 42 beds in the department of psychiatry at University Hospital Waterford. We also have a service-level agreement with St. Patrick's in Dublin.

“I know this inside out because I have lived it for the last five years as Minister of State with Responsibility for Mental Health.

“We have a service-level agreement with St. Patrick's, a private hospital in Dublin, when we have issues with capacity.”

She also clarified that no children were admitted to University Hospital Waterford’s psychiatric department last year.

As well as that, Minister Butler complimented the work of mental health services across County Wexford.

She concluded by saying that a review of mental health bed capacity has been conducted and will be looked at in the coming months.