The HSE spent almost €54m on antidepressants for medical card holders last year – up 35% on last year – despite a government report recommending an increase in counselling services as psychiatric drugs "tend to be prescribed for want of an alternative" and can lead to "severe adverse reactions".

A report by the Joint Committee on Health and Children in 2006, The Adverse Side Effects of Pharmaceuticals, found that the prescription of anti-depressants by medical practitioners for "minor symptoms" was "leading in some cases to severe adverse reactions".

The report continues: "The patient presenting with symptoms expects some tangible form of treatment and the practitioner feels under pressure to respond so as to, at the minimum, send the patient away in a more confident frame of mind. It is in the absence of a full range of counselling and psychotherapy services that many medicines, intended for moderate to severe psychiatric disorders, are prescribed for minor symptoms leading in some cases to severe adverse reactions."

The Sunday Tribune visited five doctors last month and reported feeling depressed. Four out of the five prescribed antidepressant medication, despite the fact it was a first-time visit to each surgery and no counselling had been undertaken. Three of the GPs were asked about the waiting time to see a counsellor/psychiatrist in the public health service and all reported there would be a wait of at least several weeks, possibly several months.

Since 2006, there has been a large increase in psychiatrists, counsellors and psychologists employed by HSE.

The number of psychiatrists increased by 52 to 299 between 2006 and 2009; counsellors increased by 23 to 180; psychologists increased by 60 to 367 in the same time period.

In 2007, the HSE spent €40m on anti-depressants for medical card holders, compared with just under €54m last year. The joint committee report also recommended that there be an increase in the number of psychologists and counsellors in the community health service. "This would provide practitioners with an alternative to drug therapy in minor cases and would complement drug treatment in more serious case," it added.

The family of a young man who carried out a murder-suicide in Bray five weeks ago are concerned about his use of anti-depressants and intend to raise the issue at the inquest into his death.

In a letter to the Gerry Ryan show last week, Shane Clancy's mother Leonie wrote: "What lessons can be learned? If it can happen to Shane it can happen to anyone. Was it because he didn't drink or do drugs that his system just couldn't cope with the anti-depressants or can depression melt your brain if it gets that bad? Will we ever know?

"I drove him to the doctor and made him get some anti-depressants which he didn't want to take but I insisted. It's very hard to watch your 6ft son with tears dripping down his face."

Clancy murdered Sebastian Creane (22), at his home in Bray in Co Wicklow, before turning the knife on himself.