Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 May 2017
365. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Health if a person with borderline personality disorder may be admitted on a voluntarily or involuntarily basis to a psychiatric hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22794/17]
View answerThe Mental Health Act 2001 and regulations made thereunder contain the legislative provisions governing admission to and treatment for mental illness in approved centres.
Nothing in this Act prevents a person from being admitted voluntarily to an approved centre for treatment.
For a person to be admitted as an involuntary patient, there is a three stage process involving an initial application, a recommendation from a General Practitioner and an assessment by a Consultant Psychiatrist that the person under examination suffers from a mental disorder and meets the conditions for involuntary admission as set out in Section 3 of the Act.
Individuals with borderline personality disorder may be admitted as involuntary patients, but only if they are also deemed to be suffering from a mental disorder and providing they meet the conditions for involuntary admission as set out in section 3 of the Act.
Section 8(2) of the Mental Health Act 2001 specifically prohibits the involuntary admission of a person to an approved centre by reason only of the fact that the person:
(a) is suffering from a personality disorder;
(b) is socially deviant; or
(c) is addicted to drugs or intoxicants.
