Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

The expert group review of the Mental Health Act did not recommend that a professional other than a consultant psychiatrist could become the inspector of mental health services. In every registered acute mental health centre, the clinical director is a consultant psychiatrist. Furthermore, the only profession that can make an admission or renewal order is a consultant psychiatrist. As such, it would appear rational to continue to limit the role of chief inspector to the consultant psychiatrist profession.

However, I believe it is a matter worth considering in future reviews of this Act, in parallel with discussions on what professions can become clinical directors. At the moment, I am not minded to accept this amendment. The reason is that much of the Bill grew out of the expert group review recommendations and given that, currently, only a consultant psychiatrist can make an admission or a renewal order, it does not appear to be the right move at the moment. However, it is a matter worth considering in the future, in parallel with discussions on what professions can become clinical directors.

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