Child Protection
Seanad Éireann — 2026-02-19
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Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (FF), Carlow-Kilkenny

I thank the Senator again, and Mr. McGinley in the Public Gallery. I assure the House that the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health is aware of the importance of family members being involved to the greatest extent possible in a person's care and treatment. People should also be encouraged, though, to involve their family members throughout their treatment. This is something the Minister of State is also working on.
Confidentiality is the cornerstone of medical ethics and is central to building a relationship between a clinician and a person under their care. Confidentiality applies equally across all the different health sectors and there are limited circumstances in which it may be breached. Chapter 29.2 of the Medical Council's Guide to Professional Conduct and Ethics for Registered Medical Practitioners relates to disclosure to protect other individuals and in the public interest. It states:
There can be a public interest in disclosing information where the benefits to another individual or society outweigh the duty of confidentiality. This may occur in exceptional circumstances to protect individuals or society from risks of serious harm, such as from serious communicable diseases or serious crime.
Rather than read the rest of this statement, I will go back to the Minister of State and highlight that the Senator is seeking certain reforms to the system. He can be assured I will do so as soon as possible.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-02-19/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:39+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-02-19