Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Many mental health stakeholders were left disappointed that the reform of the Mental Health Act was not included in the spring legislative programme for publication. This means the Bill will not be published until the middle of the year, if even then. In reality, it will not pass in the lifetime of the Government. Pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill finished 15 months ago and reform of the Mental Health Act was on the programme for Government four years ago. The Government has missed a generational opportunity to put in place robust, person-centric mental health legislation that would protect the rights of people with mental health difficulties in the decades ahead. What is the reason for this delay? What is being done to ensure this legislation is published before the Government dissolves?

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