Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Ceist:191 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the proposal to introduce mental health courts here. [12816/03]
Vol. 566 No. 3
191 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the proposal to introduce mental health courts here. [12816/03]
I assume that the Deputy is referring to a proposal by the Irish Penal Reform Trust in its policy paper published in 2001, entitled Community Solutions to the Criminalisation of the Mentally Ill in Ireland, for the establishment of a mental health court system on the lines of similar initiatives undertaken in the United States, particularly in Alaska. This initiative involves a centrally organised co-ordination of court, agency and mental health resources. All offenders with a history of mental illness appear in these courts before judges who have special expertise in mental health issues. The judge is also responsible for co-ordinating the role of the court with the police, the prosecution, the defence and the mental health agencies.
At present the Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002 is awaiting Committee Stage in the Seanad. The Bill contains proposals to deal with certain aspects of this matter in the context of persons who come within the definition of criminal insanity in our criminal law and their referral by the courts to a designated centre as defined in it. This is in line with a recommendation in the Henchy report 1978.