Sinn Féin spokesperson on Mental Health, Mark Ward TD, has expressed his disappointment with the Minister for Mental Health, Mary Butler, who has failed to prioritise the legislation to reform the Mental Health Act 2001 before the summer recess.

Teachta Ward was speaking ahead of the summer recess, when no legislation will be published.

Teachta Ward said:

“I am calling on Minister Mary Butler to publish the Mental Health Act without further delay

“This Government has failed to published legislation to reform the Mental Health Act 2001. Minister Butler made a commitment to publish the Bill in the summer session.

“It seems that mental health is not a priority for this Government.

“This is disappointing for all of the mental health organisations that have been calling for this to be published as a matter of urgency, but it is also disappointing for the thousands of people who use our mental health services.

“This Bill is an opportunity to put in place a robust, person-centric mental health legislation that will protect the rights of people with mental health difficulties in the decades ahead.

“With the possibility that a general election could be called at any point, the delay in the publication of the Bill may mean that it may not be completed in the lifetime of this Government.

“A delay in reforming the Mental Health Act 2001 has real consequences with a continued lack of regulation of CAMHS under the Act, for example. 

“I have introduced legislation to regulate CAMHS and give the Mental Health Commission the statutory powers to oversee the implementation of their recommendations, that were made following their review into CAMHS.

“We have had review after review into CAMHS, but no urgency from Government to prioritise this legislation. This delay is letting our young people down once again.

“Pre-legislative scrutiny for the update of Mental Health Act 2001 was carried out in October of 2022. The fact that we are nearly two years on and it has still not been introduced shows to me that it is not a priority for Government.

“The longer this is delayed, the longer that service users and frontline mental health organisations have to wait.”