3154. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Health the implementation timetable for the Mental Health Act 2026; the commencement dates for each part of the Act; and the additional funding allocated to the HSE and Mental Health Commission to implement it. [55017/26]

The commencement of the Mental Health Act 2026 will be delivered through a phased, structured implementation programme, recognising the scale of reform, the system-wide impacts, and the need to ensure service readiness across the HSE, the Mental Health Commission, and wider stakeholders.

Work has begun in earnest to fully commence the Act and to ensure that its implementation is a success. In order to progress this major piece of service reform, the Department of Health has established an internal oversight group to cover the initial scoping phase in preparation for the project plan to commence the Act.

The role of the group is to develop appropriate project planning, governance and delivery structures including ongoing stakeholder consultation and the identification of the funding requirements to support enactment under the 2027 budget process.

As part of the upcoming Estimates processes, I will be seeking to ensure that the necessary resources are in place for the Mental Health Commission and the HSE to adapt to the new Act and ensure both organisations will be able to meet their new statutory obligations. Looking ahead, we will carefully plan the commencement of each section of the new Act and ensure that the necessary staff are in place, including consultant psychiatrists, nurses, allied health professionals and authorised officers.