Victor Boyhan (Independent)

I thank the Minister of State. At the outset, I wish her well with this legislation. She has said here that it has taken her four years. I accept that but many people have struggled will mental health issues for many years of their lives. The Minister of State and I know a lot about it, and many of those present do. I welcome the mental health advocates in the Gallery. I also welcome the Minister of State's staff. I hope we can work in a spirit of co-operation and understanding and that we will not have the situation we had with much legislation over my ten years here, whereby the relevant Minister came in, stood up and told us all the amendments were very technical and sort of implied that since they were all above our auld heads, we should move on, all kosher. To be clear, I am not suggesting the Minister of State present is saying this at all. I do not see it the way I have described.

The Minister of State said the amendment is technical. I am not in the business of political point-scoring. She knows me and I know her but I am frank and passionate about this area. The Minister is making 300 amendments. That is a huge number and involves a huge amount of work. We are not going to get anywhere near amendment No. 300 this evening but it would be helpful if the Minister of Stated facilitated us with a briefing on many of the amendments as the Bill evolves. She is clearly working on them, which I accept and understand. I would like to believe the Minister of State will have an open mind on other amendments tabled. She has the advantage of having worked in this area for four years and of knowing where she wants to take this Bill. I hope we, and I certainly, can support her most of the way. It would be helpful, between now and the next time we sit, if she facilitated us by providing as much rationale and explanation as possible. This will help us understand the Bill and speed up the process. I am not referring to all 300 amendments, but to the first hundred or so that we will be dealing with in the next few weeks. I thank the Minister of State and wish her well.