Mental Health Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages
Seanad Éireann — 2026-04-16
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Nessa Cosgrove (LAB), Labour Panel

We spoke about this on Committee Stage. I have said to the Minister of State already that I know she has made huge strides on reducing the number of children in adult facilities. This is about changing the wording "in so far as is practicable". We accept there is a need, if there is a real emergency and if beds are not available in a child-only facility, for children to be placed in adult facilities. The Minister of State has said she does not want to tie the hands of clinicians but before her tenure, there were a lot more children in adult psychiatric units. All we want to put in is wording to ensure there is a safeguard and a clear legal prohibition on children in adult psychiatric units or in adult care facilities unless it is an absolute emergency. This is all we want to put in. It is reasonable. The phrase "in so far as is practicable" does not go far enough.

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Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:49+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-04-16