A report published today says spending on mental health should be doubled.
The Inspectorate of Mental Health says the hidden cost of mental illness is second only to heart disease in terms of the cost to the country.
However, it said not enough is being spent on preventive treatment.
The inspectorate says that the Government should double its spending to €1.2bn.
Inspector Teresa Carey says mental health services have missed out on the huge increases in overall health spending.
Compared to ten years ago its share of funding has almost halved.
But the inspectorate admits money is being wasted in the service: the rate of involuntary admission in the West, for instance, is three times that in Dublin.
And this means costs there are much higher.
They say with more community based preventative programmes, the rate of involuntary admissions should fall. And the overall cost the exchequer would be less.
