Mental Health Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) Seanad Éireann — 2026-01-20 ============================================================ Frances Black (IND), Industrial and Commercial Panel I do not know whether this is something the Minister of State might consider but it is important. Advocacy is a fundamental safeguard for people in vulnerable circumstances. It strengthens patient autonomy and empowerment by helping people play an active role in their care. It gives individuals a clear way to express their will and preferences and have them heard and respected. The need for this statutory right is repeatedly and consistently raised by legal experts, those who have lived experience and IHREC, as Senator Boyhan said. If the Minister of State does not mind, I will read out a letter on this issue that I received today. It is important this person is heard. It is from a young woman who has given me permission to read it. Her name is Juanita. She was very unhappy with what happened to her in Cedar ward in Tallaght University Hospital. It was deeply distressing and left her with significant trauma. She said: I presented to hospital voluntarily because I care about my life [she volunteered herself to the ward to get help during a period of emotional distress]. I was not a danger to myself or others. Despite this, I was involuntarily detained without my consent and without the consent of my next of kin. I still do not understand the clinical or legal justification for this decision. While detained in Cedar Ward, I repeatedly asked to speak with an independent advocate. Staff were unable to provide me with one. At one point, a nurse told me they did not even have the phone number for an advocacy service. This left me completely unsupported while being held against my will. I also asked several times for information on how to make a formal complaint. I was never given a complaint form, email address, or clear guidance. Instead, I was told to write my concerns on a piece of paper. I did so, but no one read it or followed up with me. I felt ignored and silenced. I repeatedly asked what my diagnosis was and what my care plan was. I was told that there was no clear plan in place and that staff were unsure how to diagnose me. Despite this lack of clarity, I remained involuntarily detained. I was initially told I would be released, but this did not happen because my doctor was unavailable due to illness, resulting in me being detained for additional days without reassessment. Basic care needs were also not adequately met. I asked for essential hygiene items such as shampoo and soap and did not receive them until a day later. Access to drinking water was difficult, as cups were not readily available and nurses were clearly overstretched. On two separate nights, I missed dinner because the medication I was given made me extremely drowsy and I slept through mealtime. When I later asked for food, I was not provided with a proper meal. One night I received nothing, and another night I was given only biscuits. I found it humiliating that other patients were the ones who helped me by sharing food, while staff were eating meals nearby. Being in Cedar Ward significantly worsened my mental state. I have existing medical trauma, and the environment caused intense fear, nightmares, and panic. I was scared to sleep because the hospital sounds triggered fears of dying. I broke down in tears multiple times. I was eventually released only after my solicitor attended the hospital the following day. I had also requested my medical records and was not provided to this. My solicitor witnessed me asking. This has left me questioning whether my detention would have continued had legal intervention not occurred. This experience has caused me lasting distress and has significantly damaged my trust in the mental health system. She has tried to submit a complaint and has asked that the failures in advocacy access, communication, basic care and procedural fairness be investigated and that she be informed of the outcome. I want to put that on the record. That is a horrific experience. Juanita voluntarily went in to hospital. She was worried about her mental health and we see what happened. What if she had an advocate there? I am always mentioning that lovely gentle voice saying, "How can I help? What is it you need?". There was wonderful man who set up the charity, Mad Pride. His first name was John but I cannot remember his surname. He was a well-known man from Cork and a wonderful human being. He said to me one time that he had gone through the mental health system and that it was a disaster until he met one person who just listened to what he said. I do not know whether it was a counsellor or therapist. This person just listened to him. It was someone who worked in the system. This would be helpful to those who are struggling. It would provide a voice and someone who understands what is going on. It would make a big difference. I hope the Minister of State will consider it. --- 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