On Tuesday 3 October 2006 Irish President Mary McAleese launched the first-ever mental health assessment and treatment service to support deaf and hard of hearing people with mental health problems in both North and South Ireland.

The All Ireland Mental Health and Deafness service has been developed by the National Association for the Deaf (NAD) and the Northern Ireland Forum on Mental Health and Deafness.

President, Mary McAleese said: "The service we are launching today is the result of much hard work and effort and determination by a group of very dedicated people … committed to the provision of a service of excellence …. It is extremely heartening to see organisations, North and South working so well together to help those who are so greatly in need of that help."

RNID Northern Ireland is a member of the Northern Ireland Forum on Mental Health and Deafness. Brian Symington, Director of RNID Northern Ireland says: "We’re delighted to see the establishment of a dedicated mental health service for deaf and hard of hearing people in both parts of Ireland. The issues facing deaf people both in the North and South are similar, and so too are the solutions. The involvement of deaf people and users of the service, with planners, service providers and policy makers is essential in developing a mental health service that will gain the confidence, trust and support of the deaf community."