Liam Twomey (Fine Gael)

It is important to recognise that this is an interim measure and that there will be proper protocols in the area when the Mental Health Act is reviewed.

Psychiatric nurses from institutions can participate in bringing in patients at present, not all of the work must be done by this team. The problem has often been that gardaí are not anxious to get involved with this type of work because no criminal offence has been committed, they are assisting someone to be placed involuntarily in a psychiatric institution. Gardaí do not like having to lead in this area. If the team is not available, and I have seen this myself, we must put together a team from the psychiatric institutions. That is what happens in the south east and I am sure the situation is the same elsewhere and that it works just as effectively.