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

I thank our guests. I welcome the speakers from Shine and the Psychological Society of Ireland. We are near the end of this phase of pre-legislative scrutiny and the committee has heard from many witnesses in recent months, some of whom have contradictory opinions on certain aspects of the Mental Health Act. At our most recent meeting, we were joined by representatives of the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland who informed us clearly that it was important for the committee not to make general statements that the use of restraints and seclusion is bad. They are against the prohibition of those practices in the Bill. In its written submission, Shine stated: "These practices are not consistent with the prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment." Should a ban on the use of restraints and seclusion be legislated for in the Bill? What are the reasons for that?