Seán Canney TD, Minister of State for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports and Leader in Cabinet of the Independent Ministers, has welcomed the announcement that a new Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurse (SCAN) team is to be established in Galway as part of a major national expansion of mental health crisis supports.
The new Galway-based team is one of five adult SCAN teams being recruited nationwide under Budget 2026, alongside locations in Kerry, Limerick, Kildare and Dublin South City. A further team for children and young people is also being developed.
Welcoming the announcement, Minister Canney said: “This is a really important step forward for mental health supports here in Galway and across the west. At times of crisis, people need to be able to access help quickly, close to home, and in a setting that is appropriate and supportive.
“The introduction of a dedicated Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurse team for Galway will make a real difference. It means people who are experiencing suicidal distress and present to their GP can be seen quickly by a specialist mental health professional who understands exactly what they are going through.”
SCAN nurses provide rapid, expert assessment for people in suicidal crisis, working closely with GPs in primary care settings. Each team consists of two senior mental health nurses, ensuring timely and coordinated care at a critical moment.
Minister Canney added: “We know that early intervention saves lives. Moving more of these services into the community is the right approach – it reduces pressure on emergency departments and, more importantly, ensures people are treated with dignity in the right environment.
“I particularly welcome the focus on strengthening these supports at community level. For rural counties like Galway, that local access is absolutely vital.”
The expansion of the SCAN service is part of a wider investment in mental health, with record funding of €1.6 billion allocated in 2026 and additional targeted funding for suicide prevention and crisis supports.
