Mental Health Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed)
Seanad Éireann — 2025-12-09
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Mary Butler (FF), Waterford

I will respond to that, if that is okay. The Senator is right. Oberstown is the responsibility of the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality. The Senator is quite right on that. Any child who is detained in Oberstown comes under the care of Tusla. It is very clear and that is the piece. In regard to voluntary admissions of children under 16 years of age, it is where the child is under 16 years of age and Tusla consents to the admission. Involuntary detentions involve the court but Tusla makes decisions on behalf of the child that would otherwise be made by the parent or guardian of the child. That is very clear. I had to check it out this week. I did a lot of homework on that particular part of it. I would not have a huge knowledge of the Childcare Act but we spent a lot of time on it this week just so I would be able to answer those questions. It is certainly Tusla in that particular case.

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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