EnactedStage in the legislative process — click for what it means66/2024Official bill number / year
Mental Health Bill 2024
- Sponsor
- Minister for Health
- Introduced
- 31 Jul 2024
- Last updated
- 13 May 2026
What this bill doesAI · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001
- Replaces Mental Health Acts 2001–2022 with new framework establishing human rights-based guiding principles for admission, treatment, and discharge of adults and children in acute mental health centres.
- Creates Mental Health Review Boards to review involuntary admissions; requires informed consent for treatment except limited circumstances; regulates restrictive practices (seclusion, restraint) under strict conditions.
- For children: allows voluntary admission under 16 with parental consent; requires District Court orders for involuntary admission; prohibits electro-convulsive therapy on children; establishes Mental Health Commission oversight.
Stage timelineWhat do these stages mean?
- First Stage33rd Dáil31 Jul 2024
- Second Stage33rd Dáil19 Sep 2024
- Committee Stage34th Dáil10 Jun 2025
- Report Stage34th Dáil9 Jul 2025
- Fifth Stage34th Dáil9 Jul 2025
- Committee Stage27th Seanad24 Sep 2025
- Second Stage27th Seanad24 Sep 2025
- Cream List34th Dáil16 Apr 2026
- Report Stage27th Seanad16 Apr 2026
- Fifth Stage27th Seanad16 Apr 2026
- Cream List34th Dáil29 Apr 2026
- Enacted7 May 2026
Debates
- From the Seanad29 Apr 2026
- Report and Final Stages16 Apr 2026
- Committee Stage (Resumed)29 Jan 2026
- Committee Stage (Resumed)28 Jan 2026
- Committee Stage (Resumed)22 Jan 2026
- Committee Stage (Resumed)20 Jan 2026
- Committee Stage (Resumed)17 Dec 2025
- Committee Stage (Resumed)10 Dec 2025
- Committee Stage (Resumed)9 Dec 2025
- Committee Stage2 Dec 2025
- Second Stage24 Sep 2025
- Report and Final Stages9 Jul 2025
- Committee Stage (Resumed)25 Jun 2025
- Committee Stage (Resumed)18 Jun 2025
- Committee Stage11 Jun 2025
- Second Stage (Resumed)19 Sep 2024
- Second Stage18 Sep 2024
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