Mental Health Bill 2024: From the Seanad
Dail Éireann — 2026-04-29
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Marie Sherlock (LAB), Dublin Central

I acknowledge there has been progress in this space but I want to flag a concern about the wording around any "relevant advocacy service". This is about how information is disseminated and the manner in which it is received. I hear what the Minister of State is saying about looking at ministerial regulation in this space but if at the heart of this legislation is ensuring greater rights for those accessing mental health services, we can look at other countries, particularly across the water in England, Scotland and Wales, and see that an independent, statutory advocacy service is critical. When we think about people receiving treatment or accessing services, the reference here is far too loose and will not ultimately be effective for patients. I welcome the progress but the destination needs to be a statutory, independent advocacy service.

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Retrieved: 2026-09-21T01:01:08+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-04-29