James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will brief. I thank the Minister of State for his contribution. I also thank Deputy Pat Buckley for his measured contribution and, as always, he is very on top of the whole issue of mental health. This has been a good week for mental health. It was at the forefront of the discussion on juvenile crime. This afternoon we have statements on the children and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, and I thank the Ceann Comhairle again for facilitating that, and this evening we have a debate on mental health discrimination. Overall, it has been positive week for mental health. The more we can discuss it in this Chamber, the better.

I take this opportunity to push a message to the Taoiseach that we should establish a permanent mental health committee of the Oireachtas. The temporary one we had was very effective. It proved itself. We need a permanent one in order that we can continue to hold the HSE and other bodies to account to deliver on our necessary mental health services.

I accept the bona fides of the Minister of State in this respect, however, I respectfully disagree with him. For a law to work, it must be clear. Citizens must be able to know their rights very clearly. The Minister of State spoke about how the classification of a mental illness under the disability legislation has been expanded but if a citizen has to go rooting around case law to know his or her rights, that is not a positive situation. Our law should be very clear. Citizens should know their rights clearly from the legislation. That is not the case currently because people simply are not exercising their rights under the existing legislation. I also disagree in terms of not expanding it. It needs to be expanded. We have a much better understanding of the importance of mental health today. I am pressing the issue.

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