Three patients with complex needs, from the Roscommon-Galway region, are being treated in England because of a lack of suitable care in Ireland.
They're staying in St Andrew's Healthcare in Northampton.
St Andrew's is a British charity that specialises in mental healthcare for patients with complex and challenging needs.
They provide care across a number of services, for men, women and children, including those with autism and learning disabilities.
They have facilities in Northampton, Birmingham and Essex.
It has emerged some local patients from here in the Shannonside region are being cared for there.
The issue was discussed at the December meeting of the HSE's Galway Roscommon mental health services area management team - the minutes of which have been released under the Freedom of Information Act.
It was discussed how the service has three patients with complex needs in St Andrew's Northampton.
The HSE has said it can't comment on these cases.
It says, in some clinical cases where the indicated treatment is not available in Ireland, care can be sourced abroad and funded through the National Treatment Abroad Scheme.
