Ms Orla Keane:

The commission specifically requested that the Bill include a stipulation that all consultant psychiatrists would be on the specialist register. Under the mental health tribunal process, everybody who sits on our tribunal consultant panel and our independent consultant panel must be on the specialist register, and we believe the same should apply. However, we do recognise the resource and recruitment issues.

In relation to operability, in our opening statement we referred to section 49. We have noted the additional amendments that were made late last week and believe they have assisted, but we have raised a question as to whether the provisions in section 47(1)(a), (b) and (c) are required. We have suggested that the section could just be linked with section 12, which sets out the criteria for involuntary detention.