The Government has now published a bill on mental health that was approved last week.

The Mental Health Bill 2024, which replaces the Mental Health Acts 2001-22, contains 202 sections – including regulation of all community Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) for the first time.

Mary Butler, the minister with responsibility for mental health and older people, said that publication meant that the bill would be ready for introduction to the Oireachtas “as soon as possible” on the return of the Dáil in September.

Describing the bill as “lengthy and complex”, she added that it introduced “a more modern, person-centred approach to mental-health legislation”.

New criteria for admission

The bill will provide an updated involuntary admission and detention process for people with severe mental-health difficulties – including a revised set of criteria for admission.

It will overhaul approach to consent to treatment for the involuntarily admitted.

There will be an expansion of the Mental Health Commission’s regulatory function to include all community mental-health residences and services – including all community CAMHS.

The bill also has closer alignment with the principles of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Acts 2015 and 2022.

A new, discrete part includes provisions to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to consent to or refuse mental-health treatment.