Imagine spending nearly five years in complete isolation, confined to a barren room with nothing but four walls for company. This is the harrowing reality for Stephen Loughnane, a 28-year-old man with a brain injury, whose family has bravely spoken out about his 'absolutely dreadful' ordeal. But here's where it gets controversial—despite advancements in modern psychiatric care, Stephen has been subjected to uninterrupted seclusion across multiple facilities, raising serious questions about the state of mental health treatment in Ireland.
Stephen’s journey began in 2021 when he was placed in continuous seclusion at Limerick Prison following an episode where he attacked his mother. Since then, he has been transferred to two different Central Mental Hospitals (CMH)—first in Dundrum, Co Dublin, and later to the new CMH in Portrane, where he remains today. His mother, Jacinta Loughnane, paints a grim picture of his living conditions, comparing it to visiting Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs—speaking through a screen and intercom, with no furnishings in sight. 'It’s heartbreaking,' she says, 'to think of him walking around that room, day after day, for nearly five years.'
And this is the part most people miss—Stephen’s case is not an isolated incident. It highlights a systemic issue within Ireland’s mental health and criminal justice systems. While the use of seclusion has reportedly decreased across Irish mental health facilities, it’s actually on the rise at the CMH in Portrane. In 2024, there were 82 seclusion incidents, up from 69 the previous year. One patient endured an uninterrupted seclusion period of 20,880 hours—a staggering figure that begs the question: Is this ethical care?
Stephen’s situation is further complicated by the fact that he was held in prison while awaiting transfer to a hospital, a practice that Dr. Charles O’Mahony of the University of Galway School of Law calls a 'significant human rights issue.' Prisons, often ill-equipped to handle severe mental health cases, operate outside the oversight of the Mental Health Commission, leaving vulnerable individuals like Stephen in a regulatory gray area.
The HSE claims that restrictive practices like seclusion have reached a record low due to new human rights-based rules. However, this doesn’t hold true for the CMH in Portrane, where Stephen resides. Here’s the controversial interpretation—while the HSE touts progress, cases like Stephen’s suggest that certain facilities are falling through the cracks, leaving patients in inhumane conditions.
Adding to the crisis, RTÉ Investigates uncovered that 50 beds at the new CMH remain unused, even as 38 people wait for admission, languishing in prison landings without access to adequate psychiatric care. Meanwhile, high-risk patients in the community, like Leon Wright, are denied treatment due to perceived risks to staff, leading to a cycle of incarceration and deteriorating mental health.
Wright, diagnosed with schizophrenia, was refused care by the HSE’s community mental health team after his release in 2019. Despite a care plan and progress in prison, he was left to fend for himself, ultimately leading to further convictions and isolation. His solicitor, Eileen McCabe, argues that the HSE’s refusal to treat him in the community is a failure of the system, leaving individuals like Wright with no option but to seek care in prison.
Now, here’s the thought-provoking question—is Ireland’s mental health system failing its most vulnerable citizens? And if so, what needs to change? Stephen’s and Leon’s stories are not just individual tragedies; they are symptoms of a broader crisis that demands urgent attention and reform. Let’s open the discussion—what do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
If you or someone you know has been affected by these issues, resources are available. Visit Helplines – RTÉ (https://about.rte.ie/ie/helplines/) or Supporting People Affected By Mental Ill Health (https://www.shine.ie/contact) for support. And don’t miss RTÉ Investigates: The Psychiatric Care Scandal, airing on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player on February 9th and 10th at 9.35pm.
