Ms Fiona Coyle:

I will make a brief comment on the mental health side. The specific area of the emergency legislation we are concerned about is Part 5. It is a good example. It was introduced at an unprecedented time and legislation was needed to ensure that physical tribunals could take place remotely. We are in a very different place now and we have learned much. Much of what is contained in that Part 5 was not acted upon. For example, we know that since March last year all the mental health tribunals have been seen by three persons, although the Act has a provision to use one-person tribunals.

Much of what is in there is no longer relevant because we have shown over the past year and a bit that we can adapt and put better procedures in place that could be more responsive to people's rights. We really need a debate on that and a discussion of when this amending legislation no longer needs to be in place or necessary. Part 5 of that legislation is a good example of where a discussion could be had. It is not ideal that people's rights are not being adequately protected under the legislation but we know what is happening in reality. There may not be a need for those provisions to be in place any longer.

On the Deputy's final question, there is much discussion and discourse around mental health and the impact of the pandemic and restrictions on such health. We are really concerned about the supports and services that must be in place. The emerging research is not clear on the impact on mental health.

We know that some groups have been more impacted upon than others, but what we need to plan for and put in place involves ensuring that support is available. That is fundamental. We need to acknowledge that this is primarily a physical health pandemic but that mental health is a major factor. We need to strike a balance between both.