Vol. 410 No. 7
138 Mrs. Fennell asked the Minister for Health if, in relation to his commitment on the Adjournment debate in Dáil Éireann on 21 May 1991 to investigate the circumstances of the committal and discharge of a woman at St. Patrick's Hospital as a matter of urgency, he will outline the reason this has not been completed; the reason the victim of this committal has not been interviewed for the investigation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
As soon as I became aware of the concern of the Deputy and of others about this case, I asked the inspector of mental hospitals to investigate the circumstances surrounding the women's detention and subsequent discharge. The inspector is preparing a thorough report. It cannot be completed until he has received a statement from all the parties with statutory obligations in the referral and detention of the woman to St. Patrick's Hospital under the procedures of the Mental Treatment Act, 1945. I understand that the inspector is still awaiting one statement before finalising his report.
It would be inappropriate of me to comment on the other issue raised by the Deputy until I receive the inspector's report.
139 Mrs. Fennell asked the Minister for Health, if, in relation to his reply to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 71 to 74 of 29 May 1991, he will now give the promised figure for the number of involuntary admissions in which people spent six months or more in hospital, as this figure has not been disclosed to date.
The information is being assembled and will be sent to the Deputy in due course.
