Seanad debates

Wednesday, 19 February 2003

Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002: Second Stage.

 

As the Minister will be aware, I would be more than capable of blaming him if I thought he was responsible. However, the Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum, is not an institution of which we can be proud. The people who work there are exceptional professionals. I know some of the psychiatrists who work there and they are extraordinarily good professionals. However, as many of those who work there – including many of the inspectors of mental hospitals – have stated it is an old building. We should consider replacing or completely renovating the hospital. Members will agree that anyone who ends up in Dundrum by reason of being found unfit to plead, of being insane or of having diminished responsibility, is not a guilty person. The degree of their guilt should not be reflected in the primitive conditions under which people must operate in Dundrum. The corollary of the legislation is the onus on society. By society I mean a succession of Governments that have left Dundrum in place, because, to a large extent, it is invisible to society.

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