Mary Henry (Independent)

I move amendment No. 22:

In page 5, line 30, to delete "commit him or her to a specified designated centre" and substitute "commit him or her to the designated centre subject to the agreement of the clinical director of the specified designated centre".

I have tabled this amendment concerning the requirement for the agreement of the clinical director of the specified designated centre due to the possibility of people being sent to a centre incapable of dealing with them. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on Committee Stage did not give the amendment a good reception, which should surprise the Minister of State, but it is a serious problem. There are few closed units in this country where a person can be safely kept. Not only the safety of the person to be transferred must be considered but also the safety of staff and other patients.

It concerns me that the lack of facilities within a designated centre for a seriously-ill person might not be realised. It will be easy to transfer most of these people to somewhere that is not too secure as they are persons who have caused problems or committed crimes that are nuisances rather than anything of serious consequence. We are not focusing on people who have committed serious crimes only. It is important that the people at the other end of the spectrum have a closed ward. People may be seriously ill because they have not taken their medication in recent months. This can happen and it is worthwhile considering it.