Sir, – The Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy views Budget 2025 as an imperative opportunity for the Government to further invest in mental health services. As the need for counselling continues to rise it is important to improve access and keep costs down for those availing of these vital services.
We urge the Government to extend the VAT exemption to our profession. This would bring counsellors and psychotherapists into line with the exemption available to psychologists and other health professionals. This would ensure equitable treatment and remove the burden of taxation on clients when paying for essential therapeutic services.
Expand tax relief for counselling and psychotherapy services so that they are deemed an eligible expense in line with other health expenses. According to our recent survey, conducted by Behaviour & Attitudes (B&A), 88 per cent of Irish adults think these services should be included as a tax relief benefit similar to other day-to-day medical expenses.
Once the pilot programme of counselling in primary schools concludes, we are calling for school-based counselling to be made permanent and available to all students in primary and secondary schools across the country.
We believe these initiatives would increase access and affordability to much-needed therapeutic services for those who need them the most. – Yours, etc,
LISA MOLLOY,
CEO,
Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy,
Dún Laoghaire,
Co Dublin.