Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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1293. To ask the Minister for Health when the review of the Mental Health Act 2001 will be published [20465/20]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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An Expert Group Review of the Act was published in 2015 and Government approved the preparation of the General Scheme of a Bill to reflect the Group’s recommendations in revised legislation.

The draft heads of a bill based on the recommendations of the Expert Group Review of the 2001 Act were sent to the Mental Health Commission for its consideration on 2nd July 2019.  The Commission returned the bulk of their comments to the Department in early March 2020. The Commission’s Legislative Committee provided its expert legal and clinical input into its submission. The Department is currently preparing a final draft heads of bill, on a Part-by-Part basis, with a view to finalising the draft bill by the end of 2020.

Timely progress of the final draft heads will rely on involving the HSE and the Mental Health Commission in any further necessary consultation, and on the provision of legal advice by internal legal advisors and the Office of Parliamentary Counsel.