Additional reporting by Kevin Galvin
New legislation to involve families in the psychiatric care of relatives won't be brought before Cabinet until after the summer recess.
The Irish Times reported the Minister for Mental Health, Waterford TD Mary Butler, would bring the legislation to cabinet next month, however Butler has confirmed to Beat News that only the key components would be presented ahead of the summer recess, and that bringing a complicated legislation to cabinet in the next month would be 'unlikely'.
Minister Butler is to propose new legislation next month to allow family members to be involved in the care of a relative receiving psychiatric treatment.
According to The Irish Times, Ms Butler hopes to bring to Government draft legislation to give families and advocates a greater role in the mental health treatment of a person but only with their consent.
Andrew McGinley, husband of Deirdre Morley who was found not guilty by reason of insanity of the murder of her three children, criticised the Mental Health Act 2001 following the verdict.
He said the law “does not go far enough in ensuring family support structures for the patient are fully engaged and included by the mental health professionals treating our loved ones”.
The jury heard that Ms Morley did not reveal the extent of her mental illness to those closest to her and that she managed her own medication and treatment.
Mr McGinley said that had there been “a more inclusive and collaborative approach” between medical professionals and the family in her care, his children “would be alive today”.
Ms Morley suffocated her children Conor (9), Darragh (7) and Carla (3) at their Co Dublin family home on January 24th, 2020, before trying unsuccessfully to take her own life.
The bill will seek approval on enhancing family involvement, but only with the consent of the person receiving treatment - among a number of changes in what Butler called an 'overhaul' of the Mental Health Act 2001.
Parents whose children were killed by their mentally ill spouses are calling for urgent changes to the Act to prevent such tragedies from happening again.
