Mental Health Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed)
Seanad Éireann — 2026-01-20
============================================================

Frances Black (IND), Industrial and Commercial Panel

I agree with colleagues that this is a very welcome and important amendment as it would significantly strengthen the legal safeguards surrounding involuntary admission to mental health services. In introducing a higher threshold for involuntary detention by requiring that all criteria be met, the amendment reinforces the principle that such measures should be used strictly as a last resort, only when absolutely necessary and beneficial for the person and when no less restrictive alternatives are available. As other speakers have said, this would better reflect our commitment to upholding the rights, dignity and autonomy of individuals experiencing mental health difficulties in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
We have discussed this previously with the Minister of State and she has heard me talk about Dr. Fiona Morrissey, who has since passed away. Dr. Morrissey told the Sub-Committee on Mental Health during the pre-legislative scrutiny of the legislation dealing with the CRPD:
[The CRPD] requires us to move away from coercion in our legislation, which deprives people of their liberty and the right to make decisions for themselves. We are required under the legislation to support people to make their own decisions and to respect their wishes in the mental health system.
The impact involuntary detention and treatment can have on people is incredibly serious and it must be the last resort.
In testimony about her experience given to the subcommittee, a witness said the following, as detailed on page 51 of the subcommittee's report of its pre-legislative scrutiny:
They don't listen. They don't understand a person's situation. They think medication is the solution. But they don't understand the effects on a person. Weight gain, loss of drive for life and thoughts of suicide. I have been dragged from my home, put in a padded cell and not allowed use the toilet. I have been forcibly pinned down and injected against my will. They terrified me.
That was just one of the statements by a witness to the subcommittee.
This is a very good amendment. It would better reflect our commitment to upholding the rights, dignity and autonomy of individuals experiencing mental health difficulties.

---

Source: Houses of the Oireachtas. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The Official Report is revised after first publication; the fetch timestamp below identifies the version quoted.

Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-01-20/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:31+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-01-20