Mental Health Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed)
Seanad Éireann — 2026-01-28
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Frances Black (IND), Industrial and Commercial Panel

I want to ask about amendment No. 217, which concerns District Court renewal orders and the requirement that a child be examined by a consultant psychiatrist within 48 hours prior to the renewal. In the original text, a consultant psychiatrist was expressly disqualified from conducting this examination if he or she had been involved in the child's care or treatment, ensuring that the assessment was carried out by an independent clinician.
Why is that provision being removed? The consultant psychiatrist in question should be independent, as an additional safeguard for the rights of the child. I would like a bit more information on amendment No. 217.

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