Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Government has it in its power to deal with the committee issue. That just involves making it clear that a Member is either in government or he or she is not.

I want to bring up an issue that falls into the Minister of State's own bailiwick - the Mental Health Act and the proposals to amend it. I have come across a number of unfortunate cases relating to an issue that lies with the Garda. Gardaí are constantly arresting individuals they come across, but under the Mental Health Act they cannot get a person signed in for treatment. They can get them signed in on a voluntary basis and they cannot commit a person.

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