Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. That is all very reasonable. This may be an issue that is appropriate to one of the committees, perhaps the Joint Committee on the Future of Mental Health Care. I intend to talk to Senator Joan Freeman and I know that committee is meeting today. She might try to put this matter on the committee's schedule.It is important that the courts suspended the declaration of unconstitutionality for six months until 8 November to allow the laws to be enacted. Mr. Justice Gerard Hogan said that he wants to avoid any potential catastrophic consequences as a result of this judgment. He was allowing time. We have time and it would be appropriate to come back at some point to see how it is progressing. It is serious. I know the Minister of State will work on it and, having thought about his response, I intend to seek to have this matter brought up at the appropriate joint committee because it is an issue that needs to be kept live. We do not want to be back here in November asking what we will do now. There is a lead in time to address this but I thank the Minister of State for his engagement in the matter.