Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

The definition of the term "mental disorder" means "in relation to a person, any mental illness or mental health difficulty, whether of a continuous or intermittent nature". It has to be taken in the round and not just one part of it. The definition continues, "which seriously affects the person’s thinking, perception, emotion, mood or judgement leading to significant impairment of the mental function of the person”.

One cannot just decide to take part of the definition, which says that a mental disorder means "any mental illness". One has to take the full wording that goes with it, including, "whether of a continuous or intermittent nature, which seriously affects the person's thinking, perception, emotion, mood or judgement".

I do not see a mental disorder as defining somebody's personal well-being or their peace of mind on a particular day. I see a mental disorder as a clinical judgment in respect of someone who may have an enduring, continuous or intermittent mental health condition "which seriously affects the person's thinking, perception, emotion, mood or judgement leading to significant impairment of the mental function of the person". I am not trying to split hairs here but when the Deputy refers to the definition of what a mental disorder is, he needs to read the whole paragraph.

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