Adult ADHD Services in Ireland: Where Things Stand

If you're an adult in Ireland who thinks you might have ADHD, the public route usually starts with your GP. This page explains how that route works, what the HSE adult ADHD service covers, and where a private assessment fits in.

By Dr Shaeraine Raaj, MRCPsych, Consultant Psychiatrist. Last reviewed: 29 September 2026.

How does the public adult ADHD pathway work in Ireland?

The first step is a GP referral to your local general adult community mental health team (CMHT), which assesses you for comorbid mental illness and screens for adult ADHD. Where clinical findings suggest a potential ADHD diagnosis, the CMHT refers you on to an HSE adult ADHD clinic. This is a public, GP-led route — no private clinic sits inside it.

Each HSE adult ADHD clinic sets its own criteria for who it accepts, and these vary by area. If you are unsure whether the service in your area is a fit, your GP is the person to ask.

How many public adult ADHD clinics are there in Ireland?

Dr Raaj's 2024 paper describes how the service was set up: funding was provided for three services in early 2021 and four more in 2022, with further funding requested to make the service available nationally. The number running today isn't confirmed, so your GP is the best person to ask about the service in your area.

Can I go private while I am on the HSE adult ADHD waiting list?

Yes. Being on a public list and being seen privately are not mutually exclusive, and choosing to see a private consultant does not affect your place on the public list. Going private is a choice, not a requirement — the public pathway above remains available to anyone who prefers it or cannot pay privately.

What happens if my HSE appointment comes through after I have already been assessed privately?

That is a decision for you. Some people keep the public appointment for a second opinion or for services the public system provides (such as ongoing multidisciplinary support); others cancel it once privately diagnosed and treated. Neither is right or wrong — this page does not advise one way or the other, and nothing here should be read as telling you what public capacity to use or release.

Does the HSE model of care cover more than medication?

Yes. The national model includes ADHD-specific medication and non-pharmacological interventions, both group and individual — medication is one part of the public model, not the whole of it.

Where does MindBridge fit alongside the public system?

MindBridge is a private, consultant-psychiatrist-led telepsychiatry service. It does not replace or compete with HSE adult ADHD clinics, and this page does not suggest the public route is unavailable or inadequate — only that it can take longer to reach an appointment, and that some people choose a private assessment for that reason. If you are already engaged with a public service and want a private opinion or faster access, ADHD assessment explains how MindBridge's process works; if you have already been diagnosed elsewhere and want ongoing prescribing, see ADHD transfer of care.

Need help now? In an emergency call 999 or 112, or go to your nearest emergency department. Samaritans: call 116 123, free, 24 hours a day. Text About It: free-text HELLO to 50808, 24/7. More ways to get urgent help, on hse.ie

About this article

This article is general information. It is not medical or legal advice and it cannot tell you whether you have a condition. It does not replace an assessment by a qualified clinician, and reading it does not make you a patient of MindBridge Medical. The public-service figures on this page are dated to the source cited; check with the HSE or your GP for the current position.

If you are worried about your health, speak to your GP or another registered clinician. In an emergency call 999 or 112, or go to your nearest emergency department.

Written by Dr Shaeraine Raaj, MRCPsych, Consultant Psychiatrist.

Medically reviewed by Dr Shaeraine Raaj, MRCPsych, Consultant Psychiatrist (Irish Medical Council 409852, Specialist Division). Reviewed 29 September 2026.

Last reviewed: 29 September 2026. How we review our content

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