The money is meant to support the hiring or retention of student counsellors and assistant psychologists at 17 postsecondary educational institutions throughout the nation.

According to the Irish Examiner, Munster Technological University will get €287,427 in allocation, while University College Cork (UCC) would receive €349,298.

Last year, 77 counsellors in all were employed.

More than €20 million has been donated to organisations that support students' mental health since 2020.

The department described the funds as “an important investment in the wellbeing and support of students across the country” in a statement.

According to Mr. Harris, it was an acknowledgment of the difficulties that the present generation of college students faces.

“This generation is known to be dealing with unprecedented mental health issues.

Due to the pressures that our youth are under, significant interventions must be made at the appropriate juncture in their lives. For this reason, starting in 2020, we have given higher education institutions €20.9 million.

Most importantly, this has made it possible for colleges to hire more assistant psychologists and student counsellors; only last year, 77 new hires were made in this capacity.

“These services will be integrated into our college campuses thanks to this year's funding.”

According to the minister, universities that get the grant would be free to choose how best to use the funds.

Other key personnel in this field that they can involve are clinical case managers, chiefs of service, mental health officers, administrators, mental health nurses, and general practitioners.

Since assuming his position in 2020, Mr. Harris claimed that college students have made it clear to him that they require assistance.

“Since becoming a minister, I have visited nearly every college campus in the nation, and one of the recurring themes I hear is that students require assistance in this regard.”