Press Release: 16 October 2026
Minister Butler hosts European Presidency event in Waterford celebrating the role of people with lived experience in Mental Health
Minister for Mental Health, Mary Butler T.D., today hosted ‘‘Voices in Recovery: Celebrating Lived Experience’’, in Dungarvan, County Waterford, bringing together people with lived and living experience of mental health challenges, policymakers, researchers, service providers and European partners to explore how lived experience can shape the future of mental health policy and services across Europe.
Held as part of Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the event will focus on the meaningful integration of lived experience at every level of mental health services.
Opening the event, Minister Butler highlighted the growing recognition that people with lived experience bring essential expertise that should inform policy development, service design, governance and workforce planning.
Minister Butler said:
“Today is an important opportunity to recognise and celebrate the enormous contribution that people with lived and living experience make to mental health reform. People with these life experiences have authentic knowledge, insight and expertise that can help us understand what works, what needs to change, and how we can build services that are more responsive, compassionate and effective. This is something that I have championed during my time as Minister for Mental Health, and which I have worked resolutely to embed at the core of ‘‘Sharing the Vision’’, Ireland’s national mental health policy. I am honoured to share this space today with colleagues from Ireland, and from across Europe.”
A key feature of the event is a launch of the second phase of the World Health Organisation (WHO) ‘‘Europe Roadmap for Integrating Lived and Living Experience into Mental Health Policy and Systems’’, developed by the WHO Regional Office for Europe, the European Commission and a range of international partners. The Roadmap provides a practical framework for embedding lived experience expertise within mental health services and supporting recovery-oriented approaches across Europe.
In attendance at the event, Regional Adviser for Mental Health at the WHO Regional Office for Europe, Dr Ledia Lazeri, said:
“We are very proud to participate in these discussions on lived experience here in Waterford today. I am reminded of how people who have navigated mental health challenges bring perspectives that complement professional and academic expertise and help us build better systems. Thank you to all of today’s delegates, for celebrating the ‘‘Roadmap for Integrating Lived and Living Experience into Mental Health Policy and Systems’’, which identifies key actions for governments and services to take, to create real and meaningful change in this regard.”
Also in attendance, Head of Mental Health Engagement and Recovery in the Health Service Executive (HSE) in Ireland, Michael Ryan said:
“We are moving beyond consultation towards genuine partnership. The question is no longer whether lived experience belongs within our mental health systems. The question is how we ensure it is embedded at every level of decision-making, governance, service design and leadership. Today’s event challenges us to ensure that participation really does become partnership, and that lived experience expertise is sustainably embedded within the policies, services and structures that shape people’s lives.”
Throughout the day, delegates will hear from European experts and lived experience leaders on topics including peer support, co-production, recovery education, stigma reduction and practical approaches to integrating lived experience across mental health services. The programme includes discussions on best practice from across Europe and opportunities for countries to share learning and innovation.
At the conclusion of the day, Ireland will platform the Lithuanian delegation, as Lithuania prepares to assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2027. Ireland’s message will be clear: the need to sustain the momentum generated during its Presidency and to provide meaningful leadership in advancing and embedding the voice of lived experience within mental health policy and practice across Europe.