Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)

The objective of this subsection as drafted is to ensure that where an acute psychiatric ailment is involved the person should not be charged. This is the intent for all acute treatment in hospital. Psychiatric patients with an acute ailment should not be treated any differently from any other patients in a hospital with acute ailments. This principle has been enunciated in various policy documents produced by my Department. Accepting this amendment would have the effect of discriminating against those with psychiatric ailments.