Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

The Mental Health Bill does not specify any mental health difficulty or mental disorder, including dual diagnosis. A person with a coexisting mental health difficulty and other issues can access inpatient mental health services where the person meets the criteria for involuntary admission. A person presenting with dual diagnosis is already accounted for in the current provisions of the Bill and should be able to access services based on need. I understand we have had lived experience that this was not the case previously, and it may not be the case in every single case. There are people who fall between the cracks. What I am trying to do is roll out incrementally is not a postcode lottery but dual diagnosis teams that can support people all over the country and a day hospital at Keltoi in Dublin to support people with dual diagnosis.

The Senator is right when she speaks about alcohol and how challenging that is for many people. I will conclude on that. I am ten years on my feet in the Dáil and Seanad and I have never been accused before of not having compassion.