Joe O'Toole (Independent)

I do not oppose the points made by Senator Harris. ECT has worked for some people and not for others. In the same way as a tooth extraction or chemotherapy, people make decisions on all areas and that is the issue that concerns me. This is the classic example of protecting the profession and ignoring the receptor. I am a professional in a different profession. We should not allow this to become a debate for or against ECT. There is nothing in what we are discussing that comes to a value judgment on ECT. We are simply opposing the idea that it can be performed on patients unwilling to receive it. The arguments I am making are not perfect arguments. On balance, this is the best option available to me today. If I were sitting where the Minister of State is, I could come up with a more perfect solution.