Mental Health Reform has welcomed significant progress in the Mental Health Bill during Committee Stage in the Seanad this month.
Government Chief Whip and Minister of State for Mental Health, Mary Butler, has committed to advancing amendments to the Bill that could strengthen critical rights and safeguards for people accessing in-patient mental health services.
Helen Brown, CEO, Mental Health Reform commented: “The Mental Health Bill represents a landmark effort to modernise Ireland’s mental health legislation in line with human rights principles and international best practice. Throughout the legislative process, Mental Health Reform has played a central role in advocating for stronger protections for people experiencing mental health difficulties.
The Government has proposed amendments which represent important progress in the transition towards person-centred, rights-based mental health care. We commend Minister Mary Butler and senators for their thorough engagement with this vital legislation.
We also extend our sincere thanks to our members, supporters, and those with lived experience, whose advocacy and dedication have been instrumental in ensuring a stronger, more inclusive Bill. As the Mental Health Bill moves to report stage, we look forward to continuing our engagement with Oireachtas members to drive positive changes in the legislation.”
Mental Health Reform welcomes the following developments:
- Provision of information on independent advocacy to involuntarily admitted persons
The Minister has committed to progressing an amendment that would ensure the provision of information on independent advocacy to people who are involuntarily admitted to in-patient mental health facilities. This amendment would require mental health services to inform individuals of the availability of independent advocacy services and how to access them within 24 hours of admission. This marks a major step forward in promoting transparency, upholding rights, and ensuring timely access to support for those subject to involuntary admission.
- Commitment to a statutory right to advocacy in secondary legislation
The Minister has made a clear commitment to enshrine a statutory right to advocacy for people accessing mental health services through secondary legislation. Access to an independent advocate can be crucial to ensuring a person can exercise their rights and express their wishes and concerns. A dedicated mental health project group will be established this year, alongside further research and stakeholder consultation, to progress work on complaints and advocacy mechanisms.
- Accessible Information on Rights for Involuntarily Detained Persons
The Minister has accepted an amendment requiring that all information provided to individuals who are involuntarily detained about their rights must be delivered in a form and language that can be reasonably understood by the person. This is a significant amendment that ensures better alignment with international human rights standards that call for accessible, inclusive communication in mental health care settings.
More Information
- The transcripts of debates on the Mental Health Bill during Committee Stage in the Seanad are available to view here
- Committee stage debate on the Mental Health Bill in the Seanad will continue on 28th January at 4.30pm and 29th January at 12.30pm and is available to watch on Oireachtas TV.
All of our resources are available on our dedicated webpage to Reform the Mental Health Act #ReformMHA.