Seanad debates
Wednesday, 19 February 2003
Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Second Stage.
I welcome sections 6 and 7. The appeal provisions are welcome. That the new mental health review board will be independent is also welcome. The whole area of criminal insanity law needs to be addressed more comprehensively than in this Bill. The Bill still leaves on the Statute Bill legislation from the 19th century, including the Lunacy (Ireland) Act 1821, the provisions of which are merely repealed. There is a need to update insanity law, both criminal and civil, in a comprehensive way. Nonetheless, the Bill is welcome in that it modernises the legislation.
No comments