Press release: Friday 19 June 2026
Over 2,000 men avail of Minister Butler’s free counselling initiative
- Minister Butler marks progress in first six months of new free counselling services for men during Men’s Health Week (15 to 21 June 2026)
- Men have availed of over 13,000 counselling sessions since service launched on 1 September 2025
- Partnerships with community-based organisations are reaching men at higher risk of suicide, including Travellers, veterans and men with an ethnic minority background
Minister for Mental Health Mary Butler T.D. has announced that more than 2,000 men have accessed Ireland’s free counselling initiative for men since its launch last September.
The strong uptake in the programme’s first six months highlights a growing willingness among men to take proactive steps to support their mental health.
More than 13,300 counselling sessions have already taken place, with men referred to counselling services through their GP or availing of other supports including a dedicated counselling phone line.
The counselling sessions were delivered by the Health Service Executive’s (HSE’s) Counselling in Primary Care service, as well as partner organisation MyMind who provide sessions in over twenty different languages.
Minister Butler wants to encourage any man who feels like they might benefit from counselling to reach out for support this Men’s Health Week (15 to 21 June 2026). All information on the free supports available are at yourmentalhealth.ie/men
Minister Butler said:
“The take-up of the free counselling supports to date is a significant milestone, and I commend the 2,000 men who have reached out for support – many for the first time in their lives. You have done something brilliant for you and your own mental health, and also for your family, friends and everyone who cares about you.”
“I say this because we know that women are more likely than men to access counselling services. However, around 80% of people who die by suicide are men. This is a tragedy we are working hard to address, and the reason I established these free services for men. Suicide reduction is a key priority for the government, as reflected by our new national strategy which I launched with An Taoiseach last month.”
HSE Mental Health Services worked with the HSE’s Counselling in Primary Care service, MyMind, Connect Counselling and other organisations to develop new, simplified pathways into supports for the specific needs and preferences of men.
The initiative is supported by €2 million in recurring funding secured by Minister Butler from Budget 2025 – this is part of an integrated series of initiatives led by the Minister to ensure people with mental health difficulties are able to access the appropriate range of supports from mental health promotion and prevention, through to specialist services and clinical programmes.
The funding is targeted at assisting with stigma reduction and to actively encourage men who otherwise would not usually avail of counselling to seek help with their mental health – it also assists men in accessing mental health services, as well as providing much-needed support for men experiencing a mental health crisis.
Minister Butler concluded:
“This is about making support more visible, accessible and tailored to men’s needs, and we have made it easier for men to access help when they need it. To any man who is struggling today during Men’s Health Week, I really encourage you to speak to your GP or check yourmentalhealth.ie/men and reach out – the supports are there for you, day or night. It won’t cost you anything and it could be the start of feeling better and grappling with the difficult emotions or thoughts you are dealing with right now.”
While men are at particular risk of experiencing poor mental health, they are generally recognised as a group with specific needs and preferences, and these factors must be considered when designing supports tailored for them.
Funding is also provided to specifically enhance mental health supports for young Traveller men through a partnership with Exchange House, as well as supporting general population mental health promotion initiatives including the Minding Your Wellbeing for Men programme.
This initiative is embedded within Ireland’s approach to mental health policy implementation including Sharing the Vision – A Mental Health Policy for Everyone, and Ireland’s new national strategy for suicide prevention which Minister Butler launched last month. Both policies emphasise talk therapies as a first-line treatment option for most people who experience mental health difficulties.