Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate the Minister on bringing forward this important legislation. I have been fighting against things I do not necessarily agree with in it but, overall, what we are doing here is very important. We see people in our constituencies go into the ward of court system far too often.That is absolutely wrong and I am proud to be part of changing that. We have to work hard now to get the mental health Bill through, to make sure we look after people. We must look at the discriminations we have put into law, get rid of them and move forward as soon as possible. I thank the Minister's officials. All through the process there has been huge engagement with many stakeholders and the Decision Support Service. As we move into 2023 with the enactment and commencement of this Act, the Department must make sure people are supported to come out of the ward of court system with proper housing and the proper supports to live independently. They must be allowed to be themselves where they are not allowed to do that now. We also need to make sure we have a properly resourced Decision Support Service in order to work through those applications for review by wards of court as soon as possible and as quickly as possible.

I thank all my colleagues for their engagement, as well as the people who have been working on this Bill and have put so many hours into it for no pay. Their work has been voluntary. I think of the work of Fiona Walsh, who is in the Visitors' Gallery, and so many others.