The College of Psychiatrists of Ireland

The College of Psychiatrists of Ireland is a professional body established in 2009 to promote excellence in the practice of psychiatry in the Republic of Ireland and to provide secondary education in psychiatry. It is the only organization recognized by the Medical Council and the Health Service Executive for competence assurance and training in psychiatry in Ireland.

The college is a not-for-profit professional membership organization and a registered charity. It provides membership to qualified doctors who have further trained to specialize in psychiatry or are currently part of a specialist training programme in psychiatry.

Activities
The college is actively involved in public discourse and legislative debates affecting mental health in Ireland. It has taken public positions on matters such as the "Dying with Dignity" Bill and cannabis use. For example, it argued that euthanasia is not compatible with good medical care and could put vulnerable patients at risk, maintaining that a dignified death is achievable with palliative care. The college caused controversy when it claimed that cannabis is the "gravest threat" to the mental health of young people in Ireland, sparking debates about the drug's impact on mental health and the government's approach to drug issues.

The college has criticized the Irish government for the underfunding and under-resourcing of mental health services in the country, calling for a "radical overhaul" of the system. The "neglected state" of mental health units and lengthy waiting lists was called out, and increased funding and improved governance and oversight was proposed. John Hillery, the son of former Irish president Patrick Hillery and the president of the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland, resigned from his clinical post within the HSE in protest over the treatment of staff and patients within the State's mental health services.