Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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143. To ask the Minister for Health his plans for reform of matters pertaining to involuntary admissions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33215/16]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy may be aware that in 2015 an Expert Group Review of the Mental Health Act 2001 was published. The review contains 165 recommendations, most relating to proposed changes to our mental health legislation. The previous Government agreed with the broad thrust of the recommendations and approved the preparation of the general scheme of a bill to amend the Mental Health Act 2001 to reflect the recommendations of the review in revised legislation. Work is progressing in my Department on the draft and I expect that it will be finalised by mid-2017.

The Deputy can find the full text of the report on my Department’s website at the following link: . The report contains recommendations relating to revised criteria for detention, revised definitions of mental illness and treatment, a greater role for Authorised Officers where involuntary admissions are being considered, improved safeguards for involuntary admission to approved centres, improved safeguards for change of status from voluntary to involuntary patient and shorter times for Tribunal hearings. These changes and others, when included in revised mental health legislation, will further improve the protections available to involuntary patients in this country.