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Dáil
‹ Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation

Mental health serious incident reports

Summary

Deputy Kenny raises failures to carry out serious incident reports after a murder linked to mental health services and says families in other cases have contacted him; he later adds he wrote to the Taoiseach three times. The Tánaiste says he will speak with the Minister of State for mental health, look into the matter, and follow up directly.

I raise the issue of serious problems in our mental health services, particularly in acute mental health services. I will raise the individual case of a young man in Sligo who was murdered. His name was Jimmy Loughlin. The person who committed the murder was somebody in the care of the mental health services. When incidents like this happen the HSE is meant to carry out what is known as a serious incident report. It was not carried out in this case. It has also not been carried out in other cases, as another family has contacted me in similar circumstances.

I raised this issue previously with the Taoiseach, who said the Mental Health Commission would have to investigate it. The family wrote to the Mental Health Commission, which has come back and said it does not investigate these situations. The family feels they are being stonewalled in respect of this situation. They want this issue resolved. After the recess, will the Government meet these families and sit down and discuss this issue with them? Will it ensure that, in all these circumstances, serious incident reports are carried out? This will allow people to understand where the failings occurred. In these cases people were murdered by somebody with mental health problems who attacked them. In most cases the people themselves end up dying by suicide. It is a tragedy for these families. It is the impact of a failed mental health service that we need to get right. Will the Tánaiste please ensure he meets these families and that serious incident reports are carried out in all of these cases?

Comment on this
Simon Harris The Tánaiste Fine Gael

I thank Deputy Kenny for raising what is clearly a serious matter. Out of respect for the seriousness of it, I will speak directly with the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health, Deputy Butler, and see whether the meeting requested can be progressed. I will also apprise myself of the details because Deputy Kenny has raised it in the House previously.

Comment on this

I wrote to the Taoiseach three times.

Comment on this
Simon Harris The Tánaiste Fine Gael

I am very happy to follow up and come back to him on it.

Comment on this