Michelle Mulherin (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is relevant to the point I am making. My understanding of people practising in the field of psychiatry is that invariably, many forms of treatment can be tried. Moreover, because of the subjective nature of the entire field, this in fact is how psychiatrists ordinarily proceed to treat patients. Invariably, there is one common denominator in this regard and that is time. The time required does not equate with emergency decisions and I am concerned about the Minister's response. He has not at all addressed the fact that evidence was given contrary to what he has just stated in the hearings before the Joint Committee on Health and Children. I would appreciate it if he could find medical evidence to support what he has just stated, which is that an emergency decision is the best way to approach a psychiatric situation.