David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I support Senator Jillian van Turnhout's amendment. It seems important that we have a concept of best interpretation and a definition of it. It should take into account the history and past expressed wishes of a patient who may now no longer be in a position to express them. We should take into account assisted methods of communication, be it nodding, by squeezing a hand or whatever else. One has to be careful, however, about the way in which the family is included because not all families are perfect. We do not want to have families pushing an interpretation that suits them but not the patient.

I was interested to see that the Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2008 had been introduced in the Dáil, a Bill I had seconded in this House. I remember discussing it with former Senator Dan Boyle and a very nice Progressive Democrats Senator whose name I cannot remember. That was before they dumped them. It was an important move to have the Bill discussed and I was surprised and pleased to see it being introduced in the Dáil on Tuesday.