Mental Health Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed)
Seanad Éireann — 2025-12-10
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Victor Boyhan (IND), Agricultural Panel

I will just respond to the Minister of State. What she said is disappointing in light of the representations. I do not see any conflict in the overarching acceptance. If there is no difficulty with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, I do not understand why they cannot be embedded in this primary legislation.
Let us be clear as to what I am asking for here. The amendment proposes to include the following wording:
... in line with the best interests of the child, this section must be fully compliant with the United Nations Convention on Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) of which Ireland are signatories ...
The Minister of State pointed all that out and told us when the convention was ratified. I would have thought that what I have put forward is quite simple. I do not think I could make it simpler. There is a desire for advocates in terms of children and disability. We have had many debates on it in this House.
I want to single out Senator Clonan and others who have pioneered a lot of work in the disability sector and in the children's sector and to highlight the importance of that work. This is a simple ask. I am conscious also that we have an excellent Ombudsman for Children and am aware of his constant advocacy work in respect of children. These are two conventions that the various advocacy groups are constantly promoting. The Minister of State rightly stated that we are signatories to these conventions.
I do not know which attorney would suggest that there was a difficulty with them. To suggest that there is a difficulty or to cast doubt, the Government somehow feels it has to take cover or take advice on the basis of not putting them into the Bill. I do not know why; I cannot guess. It is right that they should put into the Bill. It is an important one. It is a statement. We talk about legacy in politics and people. This is a simple ask. I did not write these conventions but I support them. The Government supports them and, therefore, they should be embedded in this legislation.
I am not going to go on at great length because we have had a long debate on these two issues. I have two options. I either bring it to a further debate on the next section or press it to a vote. If the Minister of State is not going to accept it, it is not going to get me very far today but it puts on the record that this is the Government's position and it is not prepared and it does not see it as an important priority. I cannot anticipate what advice it has received. I find it extraordinary that these groups who advocate strongly for these UN conventions and the comfort these sectors are receiving from this convention will not be embedded in this primary legislation in terms of mental health and mental health reform.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2025-12-10/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:26+00:00
Sitting date: 2025-12-10