Mental Health Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed)
Seanad Éireann — 2026-01-28
============================================================

Mary Butler (FF), Waterford

I will speak briefly to this because I have spoken at length about restrictive practices. I have also spoken about the huge advances we have made in the reduction of restrictive practices. The Senator refers specifically to children in this case.
Any use of restrictive practice must be proportionate, in rare and exceptional circumstances, for the shortest duration possible and where there is no safe alternative.
Any child who is involuntarily detained in an approved centre would be very ill. That is the first thing I would say. They would have a very serious mental health disorder, challenge or illness. In most instances, 22 of the 52 beds that are open are being used for children with an eating disorder. They are very sick. Eating disorders are the most serious mental disorder one can have in relation to loss of life. In some cases, unfortunately, people with anorexia nervosa might have to be supported to ingest food. The commission is always informed of any seclusion or restraint that is necessary. The commission monitors all uses of restrictive practices. It publishes a report on restrictive practices every single year. The report tracks the usage and trends. We have seen the most amazing reduction over the last three to four years. When I attended the World Health Organization conference last year, it was noted across the whole of Europe. This has only been done with the co-operation of all the staff who deliver these services, whether public, private or voluntary. Nobody takes a decision lightly to restrain or seclude a minor. I am very confident of that. Unfortunately, what sometimes might be forgotten is that in the case of a very ill child or young teenager with an eating disorder, there are situations where tube feeding is necessary. That has to happen where there is a risk to the child's life. In 2023 and 2024 there was a 34% reduction in the number of reported episodes of seclusion and physical restraint. Since 2018 there has been a 62% reduction in all restrictive practices. That is significant. No other country in Europe can say that. Senator Boyhan is talking about a very small minority of cases. I get that. I am confident that we are monitoring this extremely well.
Much of the Bill relates to the governance of CAMHS but inpatient CAMHS is governed by the Mental Health Commission. All services are subject to unannounced inspections at any time of the day or night. In fairness to the Mental Health Commission, it takes restrictive practices, be it seclusion or restraint, very seriously. I am confident that through my constant engagement with the Mental Health Commission, we do not have to take it any further than that at the moment.

---

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/2026-01-28/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:33+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-01-28