Mr. John Farrelly:

To be fair to the mental health services, a light is shone on them more than on most other health services. Our acute hospitals, maternity hospitals, etc., are not regulated at all, notwithstanding everything that has happened. At least there is scrutiny and rigour regarding the acute services. We are beginning to find that the currency of beds in acute services is a thing of the past. We need to get into the currency of people, who live in communities, not institutions. I have regulated charities and was previously a regulator in HIQA. I think the mental health service is developing in such a way that it is transforming in the community but the regulation and law have not caught up. The idea that regulations will keep people safe is a faulty concept. What will keep people safe is the staff and others who look after them. From our perspective, in the review of the Act, we would like to be able to regulate the entire mental health service.