Mental Health Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed)
Seanad Éireann — 2026-01-29
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Victor Boyhan (IND), Agricultural Panel

I thank the Minister of State for her comments. There is no problem with that and these reports are up. I acknowledge the amazing work of the Mental Health Commission. I have learned more than anyone from the Mental Health Commission in the last four to six weeks, as I did from Mental Health Reform and other organisations. I want to acknowledge that too. The point is some of these are classified as non-compliant and others relate to critical on the second inspection. Each of those seven was covered. We are talking about the 2004 report and progress, so they are a safeguard - one of many safeguards we have. I commend them and I salute them. I looked at the profile of each of them last night and they are very eminent, suitable people. There is a very successful chairman and a chief executive there who makes a very comprehensive report. These people are critical to covering the areas that we have discussed here.
Under section 176, the Minister of State has huge powers to direct them. She will not use them excessively, but she will use them appropriately as she did in the case of Bloomfield. I acknowledge that and I was delighted to hear progress on that the other day again. I will finish on that because I am conscious the Minister of State is anxious get this Bill through, as I am. I would like to think that we will have further opportunities on the next Stage and that the Minister of State will come back with some glimmers of hope following our lengthy contributions in this House. I will not delay the process any further.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-01-29/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:34+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-01-29