I thank Deputies for the debate today on this landmark legislation to update and modernise our mental health laws. The enactment of this Bill has been a long-standing priority for me and for the Government, and I am very proud to see it being passed here today. The Bill will now go to Uachtarán na hÉireann for her consideration. This is once-in-a-generation legislation. The previous Mental Health Act was enacted in 2001 by our current Taoiseach. The previous legislation was enacted in 1945. The Bill that we are pas…

We all share the same goal, namely to ensure this legislation will facilitate the putting in place of a more robust framework in which our mental health services will be delivered and regulated into the future. I thank my colleagues in government for their continued support. I particularly thank the Taoiseach for reappointing me to this role in order that I could complete the work on the Bill right to the end. I thank the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, for all her support and former Minister Stephen Donnelly, w…

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle very much.

Hear, hear.

I move: Tuesday's business shall be: - Motion re Ministerial Rota for Parliamentary Questions (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately) - Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of meeting of the Joint Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy in Wexford (without debate) - Motion re Consideration of Estimates by Committees (without debate) - Statements on the Consultation process of Our Rural Future Policy (not to exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes) Tuesday's private members' business shal…

As the Ceann Comhairle knows, during the Business Committee meeting last Thursday, there were very few issues with the Order of Business. There was a request for additional time. It was facilitated. All issues raised here today can be discussed. I think only Deputy Collins raised the issue of short-term lets last Thursday. In relation to mental health, I will be in the Dáil tomorrow for another four hours. That will bring to 38 hours the amount of time given to discuss the Mental Health Bill over the past few weeks…

I move: That Dáil Éireann, in accordance with Article 15.1.3° of the Constitution, hereby determines that the Joint Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy may meet in Wexford Town, County Wexford, on a date in 2026 to be decided by the Committee, in order to hear from community groups, locals and stakeholders on the progress made at Lady's Island Lake; provided that, pursuant to Standing Order 115(4), Members may participate in such meeting from within the parliamentary precincts by means of the videoconferen…

I move: That, notwithstanding the Orders of the Dáil of 3rd day of March, 2026, and 25th day of March, 2026, and pursuant to Standing Order 223(1), the following Committee may complete its consideration of the Estimates for Public Services for the year ending 31st December, 2026, standing referred to them pursuant to Standing Order 222(2), later than the eightieth day and not later than the one hundred and sixty-fifth day, being the 31st day of May, 2026, after the Estimates had been so referred: — the Select Commi…

I thank the Deputy for raising this really important issue. As she knows, most children and young people receive the care they need from CAMHS and are discharged. However, some young people may need to transition to adult services. I accept and acknowledge that transitions between services can be difficult, and that is why I established a specialist group in the Department of Health policy oversight structures to examine the process. The recommendations of the group were informed by feedback from over 200 young peo…

I thank Deputies for attending this evening and for their continued support of the Bill. The Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, brought forward a small number of amendments on Committee Stage in the Seanad to strengthen a number of important provisions, the details of which I can set out briefly. Seanad amendments Nos. 1 and 2 relate to the power of the HSE under the Bill to request health information for important public interest purposes beyond treatment and care.

Our health system needs a robust and proven identifier in order that health information can, effectively and reliably, be associated with the right individual. This is essential for care and treatment as well as patient safety. As part of this, the Bill aims to enhance patient safety through stronger identification processes, including best-practice use of the personal public service number and eircode to uniquely identify patients.

Seanad amendment No. 4 relates to the power of the HSE to use the electronic health record for specified public interest purposes. As the Minister outlined on Second Stage in the Seanad, there are a number of critical building blocks on the path to the full digitalisation of health records. One is the patient app, which now has over 157,000 users.

This Bill, which will establish a legal duty to share information, represents a significant opportunity to move towards a more connected health service that fully embraces the potential of quality electronic health data collected in the health system every day. In so doing, it will lay the foundations for a much more innovative and efficient health service which, above all, centres on the patient. I thank all Deputies for their engagement and for their contributions to the debate on and support in respect of this s…

I move: Tuesday's business shall be: - Motion re Eleventh Report of the Standing Committee of Selection (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately) - Motion re Organisation of Working Time (Reproductive Health Related Leave) Bill 2021 (without debate) Tuesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Special Education, selected by Sinn Féin. Wednesday's business shall be: - Statements and Q&A post European Council meeting of 19th March 2026, pursuant to Standing Order 133 (not to exce…

Just so that all Deputies are aware, I will clarify that they do not need to be a member of a committee to attend meetings. I note the comments made and the requests for statements. These will be considered at the meeting of the Business Committee on Thursday, as normal. The Order of Business stands.

It is not being opposed.

I move: That Dáil Éireann, pursuant to Standing Order 33, and with effect from 21st April, 2026, approves the Eleventh Report of the Standing Committee of Selection, copies of which were laid before Dáil Éireann on 17th April, 2026.

I heard that, too.

I thank the Deputy. The frustration that many people feel I have felt as well for quite a while. When it was announced initially in 2020 or 2021, we were in the middle of Covid. It was then held up for three years by the clinicians. At the time, I was very frustrated with them but I agree with them now. They did not want the new approved centre, the new department of psychiatry in UHW, to be, as was proposed, on the site adjacent but not connected to it. It is now going to be connected. I have allocated over €40 mi…

The question the Deputy asked was about the HSE capital plan for Waterford and the south east in relation to mental health and mental health beds. I can speak to that. In relation to the other issues the Deputy mentioned, I do not have the relevant information but I discussed it when I had the meeting with HSE estates. On the two-storey vertical extension, the vertical overhang as it is called, my understanding is that the management at the hospital has made a different decision in relation to that and thinks that …