Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I welcome those in the Gallery; it is good to see them. I welcome Deputy Browne's Bill, which shines a light on mental health services in Ireland. There has been a lot of discussion about mental health services and the accessibility difficulties.

I was elected over a year ago. It is very healthy that we are having a grown-up debate about mental health. It is a sign that the stigma is in some ways being broken down. Things are not perfect by any means but sometimes talking about a problem halves it in some ways. Anything that strengthens patient advocacy and care is paramount in the health care environment. The advocacy for inpatients taking decisions about their treatment is a progressive and welcome change. The definition of a "voluntary patient", in terms of having capacity to consent to admission to hospital, in the Bill is welcome.

It is not clear under the 2001 Act that consent to treatment is required from voluntary and involuntary patients. Replacing the existing principle of best interest under the 2001 Act with assisted decision-making empowers people to be decision-makers in their care. The Mental Health Act 2001 needs to be amended and is clearly not compliant with the European Convention on Human Rights or the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The Government's mental health policy, A Vision for Change, is now ten years old and is out of date in terms of its framework. It is yet to be fully implemented in terms of staffing and funding for mental health services. Resources need to be put where they are needed. People might not want to hear this but the lack of resources for essential services such as mental health is killing people in this country. If resources are not put where they are needed, people will die unnecessarily.

All of us in this country are affected by mental health issues either personally or through family members. We all face the possibility of developing mental health difficulties. I would like to think that if I needed services they would be available but if they were not, I could have a completely different outcome.

That is not acceptable in the 21st century. It is important to go beyond party politics. If one thing comes out of new politics, all of which I do not know that I buy into, it should be people working together for the greater good, better mental health services and in the service of the citizens of the country. That is very important.

I welcome Deputy Browne's Bill. While it is not by any means perfect, nothing in life is so let us work together for a better outcome for everybody because anyone could be in that position. Let us send the message today that nobody is alone and that people who need help should seek it. If it is not there, that is a crime.

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