Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 113: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the progress that has been made in implementing recommendation 15.1.9 of A Vision for Change that senior gardaí should be identified and trained in each Garda division to act as resource and liaison mental health officer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6963/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Recommendation 15.1.9 of a Vision for Change is being fully implemented within An Garda Síochána.

A Memorandum of Understanding on the removal or return of a person to an Approved Centre in accordance with section 13 and section 27 of the Mental Health Act 2001, and the removal of a person to an Approved Centre in accordance with section 12, was agreed between the Garda Síochána, the HSE, the Mental Health Commission and the service users and was signed by the Commissioner on 15 September 2010.

Effective implementation of this Memorandum is under way. A member of the Garda Síochána at Inspector rank has been nominated in each Garda Division to act as the liaison person to the Approved Centre for the catchment area(s) that extends to their Division. A list of the nominated Inspectors has been exchanged with the HSE and this list together with their counterparts, Executive Clinical Directors, has been circulated within the Garda organisation.

The development of a specific training programme for these Liaison Inspectors is at an advanced stage in the Garda College. The nomination of Inspectors to act as liaison persons to the Approved Centre for the catchment area that extends to their Division also implements Recommendation 15.1.9 of A Vision for Change.