Mental Health Bill 2024: From the Seanad
Dail Éireann — 2026-04-29
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Sorca Clarke (SF), Longford-Westmeath

I recognise the improvements that have been made to this Bill since we last debated it in this House, both by our colleagues in the Seanad and through the moves the Minister of State has made. It is important to recognise when positive steps are taken. While we may not agree on everything politically, it does not mean that we ignore where we do agree on some things that have changed.
I will speak to amendments Nos. 276 to 278, inclusive, 288 to 290, inclusive, and 330. I am very concerned about children in Garda stations. We have had debates in this House before about people in mental health distress being in unsuitable locations at that time. It was part of our Private Members' business on accident and emergency units and adults and children in mental health distress. I do not believe that the Garda station is the right place for a person in mental health distress to be. In fact, it is completely inappropriate. It can cause further trauma and long-term issues with their self-esteem and sense of being. Gardaí have enough work to be doing without also trying to double-job as something that they are not qualified to do, by which I mean the area of medical expertise. With the inclusion of this provision, there is a very real chance of further stigmatising someone who is a child and reinforcing the harmful association between mental health and criminality.
If the Minister of State were to look at some of the comments that Mental Health Reform has outlined, she would see that one of them was a direct quote from a garda. The garda said that they completely understand the need for the presence of gardaí in some cases, but they were a firm believer that a Garda station was not a place for a child to be brought back, especially one with mental health issues. If that is coming from the gardaí themselves, there is an onus on us to listen and act. There will never be a better opportunity to do that than here during this Bill.
Talking about children can be a very distressing part of a mental health Bill, but mental health concerns, issues and illnesses do not begin when somebody turns 18.
We must have these conversations from a point of view of it being a health-led response to a crisis without the involvement of An Garda Síochána. Yes, the clinical assessment needs to be done but it needs to be done in a place that is appropriate and in an age-appropriate way. We have had this debate in the House repeatedly, but I do not think any child should be placed in an adult unit, particularly because of pressures in the system elsewhere. That is a failure. The numbers may be small but every single time that happens, it is a further failure by the State. A wrong is a wrong and it should not happen whatsoever.
I recognise and welcome the prohibition of ECT for children. That is a very important safeguard. Such a practice may not have happened in 15 years but it should not have been on the books as having the potential to happen. The prohibition is a positive thing.
Moving to amendment No. 330 and discharges and service transition issues, we have all spoken with people who have been through various levels of the mental health system and they speak of cliff edges and a lack of joined-up and continuous care. We cannot allow that continue to happen. I believe that a discharge plan, particularly for a child, should begin on admission with the family involvement, a school liaison, community follow-up and also, critically, clear accountability for aftercare because recovery does not stop at the hospital door when a person leaves. If continuity of care fails, then it is children and families who are left carrying the burden, and that is grossly unfair.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-04-29/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-21T01:01:08+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-04-29