Mental Health Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed)
Seanad Éireann — 2025-12-17
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Patricia Stephenson (SD), Labour Panel

I lend my support to what Senators Ryan and Boyhan have said. I appreciate the Minister of State addressed the questions on the convention pieces last week. However, the challenge we have is that we have been hearing from organisations for persons with disabilities and disability rights organisations since last week and before that. They do not feel that this Bill is in fact addressing those convention pieces. We are trying to advocate for those people, who feel that this Bill has not addressed those concerns.
I support Senator Boyhan's comments about the idea of ambition, and 72 hours seems to be a compromise in the context of the window. Last week, the Minister of State referred to the example of a child who might need to be placed safely somewhere and about their being no other beds available. I absolutely respect that, but could there not be a 72-hour hold? We are now speaking about an amendment that was ruled out of order. I am sure Senator Boyhan will table it again on Report Stage. We hear systematically week after week that DPOs, disability rights organisations and human rights organisations do not feel that the Bill meets the human rights and equality obligations we have under the UN conventions.

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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