The Central Mental Hospital in Dublin and mental health units at Tallaght and Sligo hospitals were among the lowest performers on compliance with standards, according to the latest reports from the Mental Health Commission.
Reports of inspections across 15 mental healthcare facilities in 2025, published on Monday, found varying levels of compliance on regulations, standards and rules.
The reports found noncompliance with rules on individual care plans; therapeutic services; privacy; record-keeping and risk management.
The reports also detailed issues with rules governing the use of seclusion, the use of physical restraint and regulation of visits. Other issues raised in the reports included prescribing, storing and the administration of medicines.
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Of the 15 inspection reports, one centre was between 90-100 per cent compliant; five centres were between 80-90 per cent compliant; a further six centres were between 70-80 per cent compliant, while three centres were between 60-70 per cent compliant.
The lowest three performers were the acute psychiatric unit at Tallaght Hospital, Dublin, which received a rating of 63 per cent compliance and the acute mental health unit at Sligo University Hospital, which received 67 per cent compliance.
The Central Mental Hospital based in Portrane, Co Dublin, was found to be 69 per cent in compliance with the rules, regulations and codes of practice.
The inspection report for the acute mental health unit at Sligo University Hospital said it had “moved from a steady improvement to a notable drop in compliance over the past two years.”
In relation to the acute psychiatric unit at Tallaght Hospital, the inspector’s report said: “In 2025, the inspection team found 13 areas of noncompliance, reflecting a small decrease from 14 areas in 2024. However, the number of non-compliant regulations risk-rated at a critical risk level increased from six to eight.”
The inspector’s report criticised the premises and said the majority of individual care plans were substandard.The report said there was “inconsistent participation of multidisciplinary team members at care planning meetings” and these factors, “combined with post vacancies” in the disciplines of occupational therapy and psychology meant “the adequacy of therapeutic services and programmes in the approved centre was not assured”.
In relation to the Central Mental Hospital the inspectors’ report said: “This inspection team highlighted 11 areas of noncompliance, which was an improvement on the 17 areas of noncompliance in 2024.”
But the report noted: “residents in the approved centre did not have access to a dietitian and limited access to a psychologist. At the time of inspection 23 residents were on a waiting list to see a psychologist.”
The inspection report noted “both these risks impacted regulations covering therapeutic services, general health, staffing and risk management procedures”.
Areas of noncompliance include with the code of practice on physical restraint and the rules on the use of seclusion.
The Mental Health Commission also singled out some aspects of good practice in mental health units generally.
These included a collaborative music composition project undertaken in St Michael’s Unit, in the Mercy University Hospital over a seven-week period, where residents worked together with a professional musician to compose and record an original song reflecting their experiences and recovery journeys.
The project provided a creative outlet for self-expression and collaboration, with copies of the completed song made available to all participants.
