The Irish College of Psychiatrists (ICPsych) has written to Minister Michael McDowell and other interested parties raising some concerns and seeking the inclusion of amendments to the Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill.

Dr Colette Halpin, Chairperson of the Irish College said, “The ICPsych welcomes the introduction of new legislation that will provide the basis for improving access to services for offenders who are psychiatrically ill. An issue we also raised in the letter to Minister McDowell was the need to address the resource requirements that are necessary to make the new legislation workable. We see this as crucially important in terms of achieving success in a healthcare area which has long required attention”

The Irish College indicated that the following areas are of concern to them:

1. The definition of a ‘mental disorder’ should be synonymous with that in the Mental Health Act 2001.

2. The Bill refers to ‘designated centres’, however it does not indicate where they would be. The situation is that general adult psychiatry units, which are presently placed mostly in acute hospitals and have an open ward policy, would not be in a position to cater for the whole range of violent and non-violent offenders with psychiatric illness.

3. Treating consultants in the accepting centre must be pivotal in the decision making process to admit the patient. This is not provided for in the Bill.

4. It is essential that a network of regional secure units be put in place to facilitate this group of patients.

5. Distinction should be made between designated centres for violent and non-violent offenders.

6. The existing general psychiatric services are greatly overstretched and underfunded. They would not be in a position to take on a new category of psychiatrically ill offenders diverted from prisons without considerable diversion of funding to provide for the necessary infrastructure and expertise that would be necessary for this group.

7. The national forensic psychiatric service should be expanded.

Dr Halpin said in the letter to the Minister, “At present The Irish College of Psychiatrists has a sub-committee preparing proposed amendments, which will be forwarded to you within the next week. We are anxious to see this legislation in place, but in a format that is workable and supported by the necessary investment in infrastructure and expertise that it requires. We seek a meeting with you at the earliest opportunity to discuss our proposed amendments and concerns regarding the impact of this Act on Irish Psychiatric Services”

ENDS

Further information, Wally Young, Young Communications
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