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Today, during Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2026, Bodywhys welcomes the announcement by Mary Butler, Minister of State for Mental Health, regarding the funding of two additional specialist eating disorder teams under Budget 2026, alongside the prioritisation of three new regional adult eating disorder inpatient centres as part of the €40 million investment in Mental Health Services under the Capital Plan.

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The additional teams funded under Budget 2026 include a new adult eating disorder team in Galway and a new child and adolescent eating disorder team in Waterford. This brings the total number of teams funded to 16, as set out in the 2018 Model of Care for Eating Disorders. Of these, 11 teams are currently operational, three are in active recruitment, and two are in development.

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The three new regional adult inpatient centres, to be located in Cork, Dublin and the North West, will provide a total of 22 dedicated specialist inpatient beds for adults with eating disorders. This represents an important step towards improving access to public specialist inpatient care for adults who are acutely unwell. Specialist inpatient care is a vital component of a stepped-care approach, alongside strong community and day services that support people at all stages of illness.

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Bodywhys welcomes Minister Butler’s continued prioritisation of the full implementation of the Model of Care and the commitment that all 16 teams will be fully operational by early 2027. We also welcome the announcement that a review of the Model of Care will be prioritised following the full rollout of the 16 teams, as originally envisaged, to ensure that services evolve in line with international best practice, and to identify where additional programme capacity is required.

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Continued focus on the full implementation and sustainable resourcing of the National Clinical Programme for Eating Disorders will be critical to ensure that people and families across Ireland can access equitable, timely, specialist care when and where they need it.

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People can and do recover from eating disorders, with the appropriate support and treatment.