Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 28 Jan 1997

Vol. 473 No. 6

Written Answers. - Health Strategy.

Máire Geoghegan-Quinn

Question:

107 Mrs. Geoghegan-Quinn asked the Minister for Health the progress, if any, made on the charters for children, expectant mothers, the elderly, mentally ill and people with physical or mental handicap as promised in the health strategy document, Shaping a Healthier Future. [2006/97]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): The introduction of charters for the groups referred to by the Deputy is being addressed in the context of overall strategy implementation. The following developments will have a major influence on the provision of charters for these groups.

In regard to children, the Minister of State, Deputy Currie, announced in December 1996 that he is committed in principle to the establishment of an office of ombudsman for children. He is developing detailed proposals on the establishment of such a body to promote and protect children's rights. It is intended that the detailed proposals developed by the Minister of State will be referred to the Cabinet Committee on Children as soon as possible. The question of developing a charter for expectant mothers will be addressed following the publication of the women's health plan while the introduction of a charter for the elderly is still under consideration.

The Department is currently in the process of introducing new mental health legislation. This legislation will give greater protection to the civil rights of those with mental illness who have to be detained for treatment and will bring Irish legislation into conformity with international law. A draft general scheme and heads of a new mental health Bill were approved by Government last year and I hope to introduce the Bill to both Houses of the Oireachtas at the earliest possible date. The new legislation will provide for the appointment of a commissioner of mental health services whose function it will be to review the quality of care of patients in our mental health services. In accordance with the proposed legislation I will also produce a code of practice towards ensuring high standards of care for mentally ill patients. I am committed to the publication of a charter of rights for patients of our mental health services but believe that it would more appropriately be formulated and introduced at the same time as the other protective measures we are providing for in the new legislation.

In relation to persons with a mental handicap, the provision of a charter will be examined in the context of the measures being taken to assess the level of need in this area and the work of the interdepartmental task force which has been established to implement the recommendations contained in the report of the Council for the Status of People with Disabilities.

The report of the review group on health and personal social services for people with physical and sensory disabilities was published at the end of last year. It makes a number of recommendations regarding the involvement of services users and their families in planning service provision which will be considered in the context of implementing the report. These include recommendations on the drawing up of a charter for people with disabilities.