Mental Health Reform, Ireland’s leading national coalition for mental health, welcomes the publication of the Mental Health Bill 2024.
The new Mental Health Bill will replace the Mental Health Act, 2001 which governs the rights of people who are admitted and treated in an in-patient facility for mental health care.
Fiona Coyle, CEO, Mental Health Reform, said: “For almost a decade, Mental Health Reform has advocated for the reform of the Mental Health Act. The current Act is significantly out of step with international human rights standards including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
We have campaigned tirelessly for changes in the legislation to ensure the rights of people with mental health difficulties are strengthened and protected. The Mental Health Bill 2024 is a critical step in the transition towards modern, person-centered mental health services in Ireland. The Bill contains a number of important measures that will empower individuals to play a more active role in making decisions about their care and treatment.
The Bill, as would be expected for something of such importance, is extremely complex. Mental Health Reform is actively engaging with members and service users to analyze its contents thoroughly. However, there are a number of areas that we have been advocating for and highly welcome in the Bill:
- Guiding principles which promote a human-rights-based approach to mental health care
- An expansion of the Mental Health Commission’s regulatory function to include all community mental health residences and services, including all community CAMHS
- The right for 16 and 17-year-olds to consent to or refuse mental health treatment on the same basis as physical health
- The right to appoint an advocate, known in the Bill as a ‘nominated person’ who can accompany a person to meetings, receive information on treatment and support them in their care journey
While we welcome these reforms, they will be meaningless to those accessing services unless the Bill is progressed with urgency and enacted into law. We are deeply concerned that the legislation will not complete the full legislative process before the upcoming general election. The Government must commit to introducing the Bill to the Dáil in September and ensure the legislation is brought to committee stage before the general election.
In addition, it is vital that the passing of the Bill is backed by investment in Budget 2025. At a minimum, an additional €3 Million is required to expand the Mental Health Commission’s regulatory remit and recruit more HSE Authorised Officers to support the involuntary admission process.
This is a huge opportunity for the Government to leave a historic legacy by delivering world-leading human rights-focused mental health legislation. Over the coming months, we look forward to working with our members and their service users, families, friends, carers, and supporters to ensure the Bill is prioritised and progressed.”
