Bill entitled an Act to provide for the admission to, and discharge from, registered acute mental health centres, of adult persons in certain circumstances and, for the involuntary admission of adult persons who meet the criteria for involuntary admission to such centres; to provide for the criteria for, and review of, involuntary admission of adult persons to registered acute mental health centres; and, for those purposes, to provide for the establishment of mental health review boards; to provide for the care and treatment of adult persons in registered acute mental health centres and to provide that treatment, other than in certain limited circumstances, shall not be given to adult persons without consent being given for such treatment; to regulate the application, in certain limited circumstances, of restrictive practices in respect of adult persons who are admitted to registered acute mental health centres; to provide for the admission to and discharge from registered acute mental health centres of children on a voluntary basis and with parental consent; to provide for the involuntary admission to, and discharge from, registered acute mental health centres of children who meet the criteria for involuntary admission of children to registered acute mental health centres by way of application to the Family District Court or the District Court, as the case may be; to provide for the criteria for, and review of, involuntary admission of children to registered acute mental health centres; to provide for the treatment of children in registered acute mental health centres and to provide that treatment, other than in certain limited circumstances, shall not be given to children without consent being given for such treatment; to regulate the application, in certain limited circumstances, of restrictive practices and the prohibition on administration of electro-convulsive therapy in respect of children who are admitted to registered acute mental health centres; to provide for applications to be made to court to provide for the entitlements of persons admitted to registered acute mental health centres; to provide for the continuation in being of the Mental Health Commission and the Inspector of Mental Health Services; to provide for the establishment and maintenance of a register of acute mental health centres, a register of community mental health centres and a register of community mental health services for such centres and services registered under and in accordance with this Act; to provide for the regulation of mental health services including registered acute mental health centres, registered community mental health centres and registered community mental health services; to provide for the monitoring and enforcement of compliance with the provisions of this Act by the Mental Health Commission; to repeal the Mental Health Act 2001 and certain other enactments; to provide for the amendment of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 and certain other enactments; and to provide for related matters.
Last updated: 7 May 2026
History of this Act
The Bill has been signed into law by the President.
7 May 2026
Dáil Éireann
Seanad Éireann
-
Dáil First Stage
31 Jul 2024
Dáil First Stage
The Bill is initiated or presented to the House
31 Jul 2024
Completed
-
Dáil Second Stage
19 Sep 2024
Dáil Second Stage
The general principles of the Bill are debated
19 Sep 2024
Completed
-
Dáil Third Stage
10 Jun 2025
Dáil Third Stage
The Bill is examined section by section and amendments may be made
(Also known as Committee Stage)10 Jun 2025
Completed
-
Dáil Fourth Stage
9 Jul 2025
Dáil Fourth Stage
Amendments arising out of Committee Stage are considered
(Also known as Report Stage)9 Jul 2025
Completed
-
Dáil Fifth Stage
9 Jul 2025
Dáil Fifth Stage
Final statements on the Bill are made and it is set down for Second Stage in the Seanad
(Also known as Final Stage)9 Jul 2025
Completed
-
Seanad First Stage
n/a
Seanad First Stage
The Bill is deemed to have passed Seanad First Stage
n/a
Completed
-
Seanad Second Stage
24 Sep 2025
Seanad Second Stage
The general principles of the Bill are debated
24 Sep 2025
Completed
-
Seanad Third Stage
24 Sep 2025
Seanad Third Stage
The Bill is examined section by section and amendments may be made
(Also known as Committee Stage)24 Sep 2025
Completed
-
Seanad Fourth Stage
16 Apr 2026
Seanad Fourth Stage
Amendments arising out of Committee Stage are considered
(Also known as Report Stage)16 Apr 2026
Completed
-
Seanad Fifth Stage
16 Apr 2026
Seanad Fifth Stage
Final statements on the Bill are made
(Also known as Final Stage)16 Apr 2026
Completed
-
Enacted
7 May 2026
Enacted
The Bill is signed into law by the President
7 May 2026
Completed
-
Bill and Act text
- Bill and Act text
- Related documents
- Amendments
- Debates
- Bill and Act text
- Related documents
- Amendments
- Debates
7 May 2026
Mental Health Act 2026
29 Jan 2026
Administrative Reprint - As amended in Committee [Seanad Éireann]
Mental Health Bill 2024
9 Jul 2025
As passed by Dáil Éireann
Mental Health Bill 2024
25 Jun 2025
As amended in Committee/Select Committee (Dáil Eireann)
Mental Health Bill 2024
31 Jul 2024
As initiated
Mental Health Bill 2024
22 Apr 2026
Cream List
Cream List [Seanad amendments to Dáil Bill]
21 Apr 2026
Cream List
1st Additional & Substitute List of Amendments [Dáil]
14 Apr 2026
Report Stage
Numbered List [Seanad]
28 Jan 2026
Committee Stage
4th Additional List of Amendments [Seanad]
20 Jan 2026
Committee Stage
3rd Additional List of Amendments [Seanad]
16 Dec 2025
Committee Stage
2nd Additional List of Amendments [Seanad]
9 Dec 2025
Committee Stage
1st Additional List of Amendments [Seanad]
2 Dec 2025
Committee Stage
Numbered List [Seanad]
8 Jul 2025
Report Stage
Numbered List [Dáil]
12 Jun 2025
Committee Stage
1st Additional List of Amendments [Dáil]
10 Jun 2025
Committee Stage
Numbered List [Dáil]
This list of debates may not be complete. You can also search directly for this Bill within the Debates section.
Debates
29 Apr 2026
Dáil Éireann
Mental Health Bill 2024: From the Seanad
16 Apr 2026
Seanad Éireann
Mental Health Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages
29 Jan 2026
Seanad Éireann
Mental Health Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed)
28 Jan 2026
Seanad Éireann
Mental Health Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed)
22 Jan 2026
Seanad Éireann
Mental Health Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed)
20 Jan 2026
Seanad Éireann
Mental Health Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed)
17 Dec 2025
Seanad Éireann
Mental Health Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed)
10 Dec 2025
Seanad Éireann
Mental Health Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed)
9 Dec 2025
Seanad Éireann
Mental Health Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed)
2 Dec 2025
Seanad Éireann
Mental Health Bill 2024: Committee Stage
24 Sep 2025
Seanad Éireann
Mental Health Bill 2024: Second Stage
9 Jul 2025
Dáil Éireann
Mental Health Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages
25 Jun 2025
Dáil Éireann
Mental Health Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed)
18 Jun 2025
Dáil Éireann
Mental Health Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed)
11 Jun 2025
Dáil Éireann
Mental Health Bill 2024: Committee Stage
19 Sep 2024
Dáil Éireann
Mental Health Bill 2024: Referral to Select Committee
19 Sep 2024
Dáil Éireann
Mental Health Bill 2024: Second Stage (Resumed)
18 Sep 2024
Dáil Éireann
Mental Health Bill 2024: Second Stage (Resumed)
18 Sep 2024
Dáil Éireann
Mental Health Bill 2024: Second Stage