The Digital Divide: Ireland identifies rising mental health challenges but firmly rejects AI-led care

New research by Clonmel Healthcare and STADA reveals a distinct “digital divide” in Irish healthcare, with 59% of Irish respondents not currently using AI in relation to their health. While the public widely recognises a growing mental health challenge, they remain deeply cautious of digital and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions, preferring to place their trust in face-to-face, human-led care.

The comprehensive study, released today as part of the STADA Health Report 2026, surveyed public attitudes across 20 countries globally to explore the evolving relationship between patient self-empowerment, technology, and traditional healthcare systems.

The research highlights that 61% of Irish adults identify rising mental health issues as the country’s biggest health challenge – the highest rate of all countries surveyed and above the 53% average. However, despite the pressures on modern healthcare delivery, Irish patients strongly resist digital workarounds. Ireland ranks as the most AI-sceptic nation surveyed:

• Rejection of adoption: Nearly three in five Irish adults (59%) do not currently use AI in relation to their health, placing Ireland last among the 20 European nations surveyed for AI health adoption.
• The clinical line: Over half (53%) say they would never trust an AI diagnosis as much as a doctor’s, with 60% insisting on face-to-face therapy or mental health support over digital alternatives.
• Barriers to digital adoption: This reluctance is driven by a strong desire to protect human connection (50% worry about reduced personal interaction) and concerns over data privacy (51% worry about how their personal health data might be managed by algorithms).
• The “human touch” preference: Irish patients place immense value on physical consultations, with 86% preferring in-person GP visits (vs. 79% European average) and 70% preferring in-person pharmacist visits (vs. 61% European average).

Donagh O’Leary, Managing Director of Clonmel Healthcare, commented: “At Clonmel Healthcare, caring for people’s health as a trusted partner is at the heart of what we do. This research highlights a clear digital divide: while healthcare systems look to automation and digital tools for efficiency, Irish patients are clear – when it comes to personal care, trust still depends on human connection.”

The data shows that as we look to the future, the solution to our healthcare challenges is not to replace human care with digital alternatives, but to better support our healthcare professionals. By empowering our local pharmacists and GPs with the right resources, we can build a highly effective, hybrid system that maintains the trusted personal relationships Irish patients clearly value most.”

Bridging the divide in mental health support

The tension between digital acceleration and the demand for personal connection is particularly evident in how the public wishes to tackle the mental health crisis.

While the system performs well on medicine access (64%), the public remains critical of mental health resources, with only 27% believing the state currently supports mental health needs well. Rather than seeking automated digital workarounds, the Irish public wants to support and expand human-led care constructively. When asked how they would prioritise healthcare resources, 43% would focus on expanding mental health services (more than double the global average of 23%), while 51% would support giving local pharmacists the authority to issue repeat prescriptions to help ease GP workloads.

Dr. Ciara McKenna, General Practitioner, added: “In day-to-day general practice, we see firsthand that medicine is as much about empathy as it is about science. While AI has incredible potential to support us clinicians behind the scenes with administration, Irish patients are telling us they do not want to lose the personal relationship with their doctor or therapist. 

As we address the very real mental health challenges in our communities, a truly effective future health system must be built around a human-first approach to care, ensuring technology supports, rather than replaces, the personal connection that remains vital to patient recovery.”

The message from the Irish public is clear: they do not want a digital-only future. Instead, they desire a well-funded, hybrid system where technology empowers healthcare professionals behind the scenes, leaving them with more time to deliver the face-to-face care that patients value most.

Clonmel Healthcare is the number one generic supplier of medicines by value and volume in the Irish market* and is part of the STADA Group. The STADA Group Health Report 2026 was carried out amongst 19,773 respondents across 20 countries. 501 Irish respondents took part in the research.