Over 487,000 anti-depression prescriptions issued for adults last year

Michael Bolton

Figures from the HSE show over 487,000 anti-depression prescriptions were issued to adults in Ireland in 2024.

487,792 prescriptions were issued to people over the age of 18 last year, figures released to Breakingnews.ie under the Freedom of Information Act 2014  show.

Of these, 362, 070 were issued under the General Medical Service (GMS) scheme.

This provides access to medical and surgical services for persons for whom acquiring such services would present undue hardship.

A further 120,360 prescriptions were issued under the Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS). This scheme means you and your family only have to pay a maximum of €80 each month for approved prescribed drugs and medicines.

Under the Long-Term Illness (LTI) Scheme, which allows people to get some drugs, medicine and medical applications for free, 5,362 were issued.

In a statement from the Department of Health, they acknowledged recent spending on mental health services.

"The total allocation for mental health services for 2025 is almost €1.5 billion, a record funding level. Mental health service funding has increased by over 44 per cent since 2020.

"This investment will continue to support the implementation of our national mental health policy 'Sharing the Vision', and 'Connecting for Life' our national suicide reduction strategy, across a broad continuum from mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention, through to specialist mental health services.

"Investment this year focuses on talking therapies and child and youth mental health, including targeted initiatives that support children and young people as they transition from child to adult mental health services, to ensure that they can continue to access the supports that they need.

"Funding has also been allocated to the expansion and enhancement of the National Clinical Programmes (NCP), in ADHD, Eating Disorders, Dual Diagnosis, and Early Intervention in Psychosis, as well as the NCP in Self-Harm and Suicidal Ideation and Psychiatry of Later Life."

The Department also pointed out that additional funding was issued in Budget 2025 to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and the expansion of Counselling in Primary Care (CIPC).