Press Release: Minister Butler announces full reopening of Linn Dara CAMHS Unit as single inpatient service for Dublin, Midlands and North East
Minister for Mental Health Mary Butler TD has announced the full reopening of the state-of-the-art Linn Dara Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Inpatient Unit, with all 24 inpatient beds now operational.
Linn Dara now becomes the dedicated inpatient CAMHS unit for the entire Dublin region, serving young people and families across HSE Dublin North East, HSE Dublin Midlands and HSE Dublin South East.
The transition coincides with the discontinuation of inpatient beds at St Vincent’s Hospital, Fairview, with services transferring to Linn Dara, a modern purpose-built CAMHS facility. The move reflects recommendations from a national review of CAMHS inpatient services, which highlighted clinical and operational limitations at the Fairview unit, including restricted admission criteria, the absence of specialist eating disorder supports such as nasogastric feeding, and limited emergency admission capacity. Consolidating services at Linn Dara will ensure young people have access to a broader range of specialist supports within a single centre.
Supported by ringfenced funding provided through Budget 2026, the reopening of the additional 11 beds at Linn Dara represents a significant investment in children’s mental health services. The consolidation of services into one service will improve access to specialist care and strengthen clinical governance.
Linn Dara provides modern inpatient facilities specifically designed for children and adolescents, including single en-suite bedrooms, specialist therapy and educational spaces, family accommodation, high-observation facilities, and enhanced eating disorder services, including nasogastric feeding where required.
This development forms part of the HSE’s wider programme to modernise inpatient CAMHS services and ensure that children and young people receive safe, high-quality, age-appropriate care in the best possible environment.
Announcing the creation of the new single regional inpatient service Minister Butler said:
“I am pleased to announce the full reopening of Linn Dara with all 24 inpatient beds now available to support children and young people who require specialist mental health care. This is an important milestone for CAMHS inpatient services and reflects our commitment to ensuring that young people have access to high-quality, age-appropriate care in a modern, purpose-built facility.”
“By bringing services for Dublin, the Midlands, the North East and South East together at Linn Dara, we are creating a single regional inpatient CAMHS service that will provide more consistent access to specialist supports, including enhanced eating disorder care and emergency admissions.”
“This investment from Budget 2026 will improve care for young people while also freeing up resources that can be reinvested in youth mental health services. Most importantly it will ensure that children and young people receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.”
“I want to pay tribute to outgoing CAMHS Clinical Director for Linn Dara Professor Brendan Doody and thank him for his exceptional service and wish him and his family well for his retirement. I welcome the appointment of Dr Imelda Whyte as the new Clinical Director and look forward to working with her to continue to enhance CAMHS services at Linn Dara.”