Mental Health Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed)
Seanad Éireann — 2025-12-09
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Nessa Cosgrove (LAB), Labour Panel

Maybe other jurisdictions did not have the same history of mental institutions as this country. We are just getting used to the term "mental illness" or having positive mental health. It was very clear that having a mental illness was a lot more severe than looking after one's mental health. We were just coming to terms with that and people were comfortable with this. These are people's real-life experiences and those of their families and they are sharing their stories. I cannot understand why the Minister of State would not listen to that. The expert review group is recommending it. It is less stigmatising using the term "mental illness" than the others. It is a regressive step and I wish the Minister of State would reconsider it. She has put so much work into this and there has been so much consultation and debate around it. The use of this term strikes me as going backwards.

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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