Mental Health Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed)
Seanad Éireann — 2025-12-17
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Mary Butler (FF), Waterford

I believe there is a balanced approach in the Bill to mental health treatment, enshrining the best interests of the child as the primary consideration in all decisions. I believe that we have done that.
We started drafting this Bill four and a half years ago. There are 220 sections in it. We are on section 10. I have been on my feet now for the fourth time in the last two weeks and I will continue to come in and be on my feet. I thank the Senators for facilitating that as well. That is important to put on the record.
I will not be here on Thursday afternoon because I will be in the Dáil. That is the reason behind it. I have obligations in the Dáil as well.
I am confident that we have put significant effort into each section. As to reaching the time when we will have to align legislation, I believe we are already there. I am not going to go back to the drawing board now to restart the Bill.
When this Bill was being drafted, with the support of the Attorney General and the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel, we were cognisant every step of the way. I am a mother myself. As I said on the record on several occasions, my own child was in the care of CAMHS for two years at 14, 15 and 16 years of age. Senator Costello said that as well, as have other parents. There is nothing more focused in my mind than making sure that this Bill is child focused but it has to be adult focused as well and we have to get the balance right between advocacy and treatment. That is really important while bringing a commonsense approach to it as well. That is why giving due weight to under-16s is really important. I believe the responses I gave last week set out clearly on the record of the Seanad that we are ensuring that the best interests of the child and the adult are upheld, and where there is an infringement of a child's rights, such infringement is subject to very stringent legal safeguards.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2025-12-17/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:28+00:00
Sitting date: 2025-12-17