Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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1518. To ask the Minister for Health if he will review correspondence from a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary concerning proposed amendments to the Mental Health Act 2001; if he will address the concerns raised by this person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13967/23]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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All aspects of mental health services continue to be developed through implementation of the national mental health policy Sharing the Vision 2020-2023(StV), and the annual HSE Service Plans. The policy aims to enhance the provision of mental health services and supports across a broad continuum from mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention to acute and specialist mental health service delivery.

A core value of both Slaintecare, and Sharing the Vision, is that of Equity, particularly in terms of timely access to services, characterised by inclusiveness, fairness and non-discrimination. The importance of supporting positive mental health as part of a spectrum of population-based responses highlights mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention.

As the Deputy will be aware, in mid-2021, the Government approved a General Scheme of a Bill to amend the Mental Health Act. This General Scheme took into account the 165 recommendations of the Expert Group Review of the Act, the observations of key stakeholders such as the Mental Health Commission and the HSE, the results of a 2021 public consultation wherein 100 submissions were received, changes in domestic legislation, most significantly the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015, and Ireland’s international commitments, including under the European Convention on Human Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

A Mental Health Bill is now being prepared in line with the General Scheme. The Bill will significantly update existing mental health legislation through,inter alia, the introduction of a set of guiding principles for adults and children receiving inpatient treatment, a revised set of criteria for detention, an overhauled approach to consent to admission and treatment, aligning capacity in mental health legislation with the provisions of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015, the introduction of a new, discrete Part on the care and treatment of children, and the introduction of additional safeguards for people receiving inpatient mental health treatment. The finalisation and introduction to the Oireachtas of a Mental Health Bill is a priority for the Government, and it is listed for priority drafting for this spring legislative session with a view to introducing the Bill as early as possible this year.

In the context of the above, and of the correspondence in question, the Deputy can rest assured that I will continue to keep to the fore the key objectives of improved human rights and better person-centered care in developing our mental health legislation, policies and services.