James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

809. To ask the Minister for Health if an analysis has been completed or studies carried out on the number of admissions and renewal orders revoked before a mental health tribunal is held. [34365/17]

Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Under the 2001 Act, a person who is involuntarily admitted to an approved centre has their admission or renewal order independently reviewed by a mental health tribunal within 21 days. This includes patients who were regraded from a voluntary patient to an involuntary patient. Every tribunal is made up of a chairperson, a consultant psychiatrist and a lay-person and adults receive free legal representation.

It is important to emphasise that Section 28 of the Mental Health Act 2001 obliges the consultant psychiatrist responsible for the patient to revoke an order where they become of the opinion that the patient is no longer suffering from a mental disorder as defined in the Act. However, even if an order is revoked before a Mental Health Tribunal, the patient is written to and offered a hearing and the patient's legal representative will advise them in relation to this.

Figures in relation to the number of Admissions and Renewal Orders revoked before Mental Health Tribunal is held for the years 2012 to 2017 are set out in the following table:

* Figures to end May 2017