Vital mental health service to shut
People struggling with metal health in West Cork could soon find themselves cut off from a vital lifeline following a devastating revelation.
West Cork Counselling and Support Service (WCCSS) in Dunmanway has revealed it is facing imminent closure due to a critical lack of funding.
If no long-term funding commitment is secured in the coming weeks, the service will be unable to sustain operations beyond the end of September.
The news has sparked huge concern in the region for those who rely on the affordable and vital service.
“We are devastated to be facing this situation,” said Teresa O'Sullivan, Chairperson of WCCSS. “Every week WCCSS supports people who are struggling with some of the most difficult circumstances of their lives.
“Many of our clients cannot afford private counselling and rely entirely on our service. Without urgent financial support, this lifeline will disappear,” she added.
The service has provided crucial support to people suffering with anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, relationship difficulties, and other mental health challenges in the region for over 20 years.
WCCSS’ 77 current clients have been made aware of the situation, said Ms O'Sullivan, however it is proving extremely difficult to secure onward referral services for them.
The service also has 29 people on a waiting list who would have been given appointments in Q3 of this year. Due to the funding crisis, these people are instead being signposted to other services which are already struggling with capacity.
“Without WCCSS, individuals will certainly face longer waiting times for alternative services,” said Ms O’Sullivan.
She continued: “The loss of this service may leave people without the support they need at critical points in their lives, increasing the risk of worsening mental health outcomes.”
Geraldine Burke, Lead Counsellor with the service, added: “We know that early intervention works. Counselling changes lives, prevents crises, and helps people build resilience. The loss of this service would be felt across the entire community.”
WCCSS is now in its third year of lobbying for funding to ensure continuation of its services. The funding crisis began in 2024 when the service was advised that HSE crisis pregnancy funding was to be discontinued in 2025. Additional replacement funding was secured in 2025 but despite several appeals has not been made available in 2026.
County council steps in
The news of WCCSS’ imminent closure was addressed at the end of Monday’s full meeting of Cork County Council as a matter of utmost urgency.
At the meeting, West Cork councillor Isobel Towse (SD) urged the council to write a letter to Minister for Mental Health, Mary Butler TD asking for restored and increased funding for WCCSS via HSE Southwest.
“It's the expansion of services that we need, not the reduction or removal,” said Cllr Towse.
“There's 77 people currently accessing the services. How are they supposed to cope when access to affordable therapy is suddenly gone?
“As someone who accessed the same service from a similar charity when I was in college in Cork city, I really understand just how vital this service is to people in West Cork,” she said.
Save our service
WCCSS is now calling on government agencies to work to secure the funding necessary to keep the service operating through its Save Our Service campaign.
“Mental health support should not depend on whether a community can find emergency funding every year," said Ms O'Sullivan.
For more information on the campaign and to get involved, visit wccss.com.