Mental Health Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed)
Seanad Éireann — 2025-12-09
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Lynn Ruane (IND), University of Dublin

I thank the Minister of State. That still does not actually answer my question. I am quite concerned that there is a small gap here in relation to the children I am talking about in Oberstown. What is their legal status in terms of care? If they are in the prison system from the age of 18 years, they are in the care of the State, that is, the justice Department and the Irish Prison Service. Before they turn 18 and they are in Oberstown, they are not actively in the care of their parent physically; they are in Oberstown. Are they under the care of the Department of children? It is not the justice Department that actually looks after Oberstown. I think it was the amended Childcare Act 2001 that allowed for the establishment of Oberstown. I now wonder if there is a gap in this Bill in some way where we capture not only the children who are in care of the agency, that is, Tusla, or children who are in the care of the parent. Who exactly are kids in Oberstown in the care of when it comes to this Bill? I am still not sure on that. I am worried that they are potentially not accounted for but I am probably just not seeing it.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2025-12-09/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:26+00:00
Sitting date: 2025-12-09