Mental Health Act Review

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 July 2014

Tuesday, 8 July 2014

Ceisteanna (749)

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

749. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the status of the review of the Mental Health Act 2001; and when this review will be completed [29551/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The Mental Health Act 2001 is the key piece of legislation regarding the rights of people involuntarily detained and treated in approved centres within our mental health services. A commitment to review the Act is contained in the current Programme for Government.

In 2011, I appointed a Steering Group to carry out an initial review of the Act ‘informed by human rights standards and in consultation with service users, carers and other stakeholders’. The report of the Steering Group was published in June 2012 and is available on my Department’s website.

An Expert Group was subsequently established to carry out the second and substantive phase of the review and the Group had its first meeting in September 2012. The Expert Group is coming towards the end of its deliberations and I expect to receive the Group's final report by the end of the third quarter this year.