Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish to highlight a glaring issue regarding the appropriate treatment for individuals with serious mental illness in our criminal justice system. I want to draw attention to a particular situation where an individual is clearly a danger himself or others, often family members. The person obviously cannot be held in custody once his or her sentence is served but often he or she is diagnosed with a mental illness that is not considered serious enough to move him or her to a mental health facility. Instead, judges are left with no option but to lift detaining orders, even when an individual who needs mental help is considered a potential threat to society.

I have an ongoing case in my constituency. An article in last Saturday's Irish Independenthighlighted these issues. This is a serious and ongoing issue that needs immediate attention and legislation needs to be amended to address it.

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