Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages
Dail Éireann — 2020-03-26
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Louise O'Reilly (SF), Dublin Fingal

I hear what the Minister is saying in relation to it already being possible but it is not done in practice. I am not aware of situations where it happens at the moment, which is the reason I wanted to insert that clause. I do not want to do anything that would undermine the operation of the Mental Health Act either but it is my very firm view that unless it can be conveyed comprehensively to people that is going to be available to them, I will remain concerned. The Minister can understand the concerns that are being expressed here. The power to involuntarily detain an individual is an extremely serious one and it is extremely important to have checks and balances in place.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2020-03-26/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:48:14+00:00
Sitting date: 2020-03-26