Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the chance to speak on this Bill. I thank Senators Mac Lochlainn, Conway-Walsh and Devine for bringing such an important issue to the House. I send my thoughts and condolences to John Lynch and Stephanie McGill Lynch, who have worked tirelessly behind the scenes on the Bill based on their own experience of their son, Jake's tragic death in 2013. My heart goes out to them and I commend them on their bravery in highlighting the case and speaking out so openly about it.

The Bill is relatively short and would make the verdict of iatrogenic suicide available to coroners when assessing a case. As Senator Mac Lochlainn said, this differs from suicide as we would usually define it in the case of somebody taking their own life in medical treatment or with prescribed medication. Jake's case tragically outlines how this happens. Before the debate, John Lynch and Stephanie McGill Lynch passionately made the case that, at its core, this is about putting a more accurate verdict on a death certificate, one that more clearly reflects the person and the circumstances involved. This matters enormously to them. They have said that, while it may seem unimportant to people who are unaffected, it is extremely important to parents and other families in a situation like theirs.

I know from my own experience of working with families in therapeutic care that we should do everything to support people in these situations. We need to make sure a death certificate does not bring further trauma or make it harder for families already dealing with tragic circumstances. On this basis, I support the Bill going forward to Committee Stage for further assessment and scrutiny, which I hope can answer some of the questions raised in the debate today. The principle is an important one and we should always look for ways to better support families dealing with tragic circumstances. A death certificate can mean so much and it needs to be accurate.

I would like further clarification on the legal implications of the Bill. For example, what is the situation for a doctor who has prescribed a drug when a coroner later makes a verdict of iatrogenic suicide? How does liability work in such a scenario? As the Bill is developed, I will also be looking for clarity on what supports are provided. It is clear that if we had a properly funded mental health service, we would see far fewer tragic cases such as Jake's. This would mean bringing down waiting lists for people seeking treatment and proper screening and assessment before anyone is prescribed medication that may not work for them and may be harmful. Antidepressant medication can be really important in the right circumstances but it can also be the wrong course of action. We need to take this more seriously, particularly when children are involved. We cannot just prescribe tablets and tell people to come back a month later. We have to keep a connection going and provide regular support for people during the process. This, sadly, is not the case at the moment and supports are too often not available. This is particularly true for children and thousands of young people are struggling with mental health problems but cannot access the services they need. Since 2014, demand for mental health services has gone up by almost 30%. However, as of July 2017, almost 2,500 young people are still on waiting lists, many waiting for over a year. If we had properly funded mental health services to care for these young people, there would be fewer situations where children were prescribed drugs that could be harmful.

We also need clearer information for families on the effects of certain drugs and this is also something a proper mental health service could help with. People should not be left googling medication for clarity. We need therapists and counsellors who can help people directly and give thorough advice on the best treatment available, whether it is in the form of medication or other supports. I am keen to listen to the debate today and there are questions that need to be addressed as the Bill progresses. I thank John and Stephanie again for their incredible bravery in highlighting this issue. As legislators, we need to ensure families are not dealing with situations like this and uncertainty over something as important as a death certificate.