Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)

After such a length of time since the Bill was introduced, that is simply not good enough. Chemical restraint must be governed with the same clear rules and subject to the same level of oversight as any other restrictive practice outlined in this Bill. I do not know why the decision was made to take out the reference to chemical restraint but that was the Minister of State's decision and this is where we stand today. Any restrictive practice causes concern for patients and their advocates and rightly so. However, it was the Minister of State who referred to other regulations, secondary legislation and whatever else was mentioned earlier on. That does not give her a plausible platform to dispute the term "advocate", especially given that Government has said it will be bringing in safeguarding legislation which, as we heard in the health committee today, will deal with advocates and make strong asks in respect of the term.

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