Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. I thank the Deputy for his question about primary care provision for Rathdowney and Mountrath. I am taking this question on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. He raised a couple of matters: plans for succession in GP practices, challenges in rural Laois and the primary care centres in Mountrath and Rathdowney. I will do my best to address all of those issues. As the Deputy will be aware, timely access to GP and primary care services is vital for the success…

I thank the Deputy very much for raising the issue of rural GP practices in County Laois. He said a site has not been identified for a primary care centre in Rathdowney. That is normal. It is because it is commercially sensitive. If the HSE has not purchased a site, it could drive up prices. I have seen the exact same situation in Lismore in County Waterford, where a site was not identified in advance of the agreement being made on the operation of the lease mechanism. People on the ground probably know where the s…

But that is the reason that is the case. If the HSE does not own the site and it talks about where it is, straightaway, in the main, prices can go up, so there is a commercial sensitivity around it.

The HSE also tells me that there are no general medical services GP vacancies in County Laois. As we know, when a vacancy arises, the HSE actively recruits. I have a couple of positives for the Deputy. The new locum support initiative has commenced, which provides GPs in receipt of rural practice supports with access to a streamlined local recruitment service. This initiative is initially focusing on supporting the more than 130 single-handed GPs working in isolated areas. I will bring his concerns back to the Mini…

Last Wednesday.

No.

I do not intend to rehearse the extensive debate on similar amendments which Deputy Clarke raised on Committee Stage. I acknowledge the amendment tabled by Deputy Quaide. I already moved the Government amendment on Committee Stage to amend the definition of "mental disorder" by inserting references to "serious" and "significant" in the definition to address concerns that the definition was too broad. It is important to ensure there is a legal distinction between the type of condition that is more severe and endurin…

I move amendment No. 8: In page 21, lines 4 and 5, to delete “Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform” and substitute “Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation”. The amendments in this grouping are all technical amendments relating to changes required to ministerial titles previously used in the Bill. These amendments update the titles of the Ministers for justice, children and public expenditure.

I thank Deputy Clarke for the amendment. Section 8 of the Bill provides for a review of the operation of this enactment five years after its commencement. If it is necessary for a review to be carried out sooner than five years after the commencement of this enactment, that option will be available to the Government of the day. Section 8 of the Bill provides for a review to take place not later than five years after commencement. This means that the review may take place at any time within the five-year period if i…

I am satisfied with the five years. The whole Bill will not all be enacted on the same day. I expect the parts of it regarding the governance of CAMHS and community premises to come first. The changeover in age verification and the piece in regard to voluntary detention and the Garda may take longer until we have all the authorised officers in place. To set a definitive timeline of two and half years is not appropriate when some parts of the service might only have been up and running for six months. That is why we…

Again, I am satisfied. It is a massive piece of legislation, as the Deputy knows, with 220 different sections. A huge number of changes will be made to how we deliver mental health services and there will also be major changes for those who deliver mental health services. It will be a staggered, incremental roll-out of the Bill, in terms of a review for a service that might only be up and running for six or nine months. By the time we get to the five years, I expect that all the services will have been well embedde…

I move amendment No. 25: In page 32, line 39, to delete “for recommendation” and substitute “for a recommendation”. I will move amendments Nos. 25, 46, 62, 65, 97 to 101, inclusive, and 112, which have been grouped. These are all technical amendments required to correct various typographical errors in the Bill as amended.

I move amendment No. 26: In page 33, line 36, after “Justice” to insert “, Home Affairs and Migration”.

I do not believe amendment No. 29 is necessary as, under the Bill, a person may only be involuntarily admitted when the consultant psychiatrist believes that person has a mental disorder that meets the criteria for involuntary admission. If at any point during the person's admission the responsible consultant psychiatrist no longer believes the person meets the criteria for involuntary admission, that person must be discharged. That is what is in the Bill. This can happen at any time during the 21 days of the initi…

This is not a late-stage amendment. It was discussed on the very first day; I do not think Deputy Quaide was here. We had a discussion for four hours. That was part of an amendment that was taken I think about a month ago; it is not new today. That was discussed at that time. This is another amendment that has been brought forward in relation to the 42 days. We cannot provide secondary legislation until primary legislation passes. It is just not possible. I just want to go back to the point that a very small cohort…

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I move amendment No. 33: In page 41, lines 14 and 15, to delete “Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform” and substitute “Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation”.

I will speak to amendments Nos. 36, 40 to 45, inclusive, and amendment No. 48. The safeguards contained in the amended Bill in relation to consent to treatment are appropriate and balanced. I would like to reiterate that consent to treatment provisions in the Bill, in line with the Mental Health Act 2001, only apply where a person has been assessed as lacking capacity. Outside of very limited circumstances, a person who has capacity cannot be treated without his or her explicit consent. Furthermore, the Bill allows…

I move amendment No: 46: In page 64, line 18, after “proposed,” to insert “or”.

Again, this amendment relates to people who are involuntarily detained who do not have capacity. In many cases a person can regain some level of decision-making capacity within two to three weeks of admission. If an application is made on behalf of all these people, the vast majority of the applications will not be required as they will have regained capacity a short number of days after the making of the application. Requiring that applications to the Circuit Court be made within five days of a person being assess…