Mental Health in Ireland

Promoting the rights of 1 in 4 Irish People affected by mental illness.

Mental Health is a Human Right

Amnesty International is concerned at the lack of attention paid by successive Irish Governments to the human rights of people with mental illness.

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Why is this so?

In Ireland, mental health care has not received the commitment and resources that it deserves.

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Amnesty Urges Government to Act on UN Criticisms on Children’s Mental Health

Public Statement: 29th September 2006

Amnesty International today calls for action by the Irish Government on childhood mental health. In response to the publication today of the Concluding Observations of the UN Committee of the Rights of the Child on Ireland, Amnesty urges the Irish Government to act quickly and meaningfully on all recommendations made by the Committee, and to finally live up to its international obligations.

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MENTAL HEALTH: LET’S MAKE IT HAPPEN

On October 10th, World Mental Health Day, Amnesty International Irish section will launch the second phase of its campaign for respect for the right to the highest attainable standard of mental health and mental health services.

Amnesty International invites you to join us in the Gresham Hotel, 23 Upper O’Connell Street, Dublin 1 at 10am.

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What you can do!

Amnesty International is seeking the assistance of individuals, groups and communities to achieve the necessary political will for change.

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Public statement on Mountjoy Prison death

2 August 2006

Amnesty International welcomes Minister McDowell’s announcement of an independent inquiry into the circumstances of Mr. Gary Douch's killing in Mountjoy Prison. This inquiry must be transparent and conform to international human rights standards, and the findings made public.

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Amnesty International responds to Report of Barr Tribunal

21st July 2006

The Report of the Barr Tribunal published yesterday into the fatal shooting of John Carthy in April 2000 at Abbeylara is a damning indictment of Garda Síochána systems and management in dealing with mental health emergencies in the community. Justice Barr’s unambiguous conclusion that “his death should not have happened” must galvanise political action on the many ways that people with mental health problems continue to fall through the cracks in the criminal justice system.

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Irish Mental Health Coalition Welcomes Government Commitment to Full Commencement of Mental Health Act

Press Release: 7th July 2006

The Irish Mental Health Coalition has welcomed the announcement by the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, Mary Harney T.D., that Part Two of the Mental Health Act, 2001 will commence on 1st November 2006.

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Press release: Irish Mental Health Coalition Welcomes Expert Group Report

24th January 2006

The Irish Mental Health Coalition has welcomed the publication today of the Report of the Expert Group on Mental Health Policy, A Vision for Change. The Expert Group, established by the Department of Health and Children in 2003, has set out a new national policy framework for mental health services, replacing the 1984 policy, Planning for the Future.

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NGOs call for IHCA and IMO to respect human rights of involuntarily detained

In an unprecedented move, Amnesty International, Grow, the Irish Advocacy Network, the Irish Patients’ Association, namhi and Schizophrenia Ireland have issued a joint statement expressing their deep concern at the current impasse between the Mental Health Commission and Health Services Executive, and the Irish Hospital Consultants Association and Irish Medical Organisation over the establishment of Mental Health Tribunals under the Mental Health Act, 2001.

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Disability Bill - April 2005

A letter from Sean Love, Executive Director Amnesty International (Irish Section), to the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.

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Sean Love on mental health strategy.

The tragedy of suicide, and the scale, have been very prominent in recent times. All the evidence, and the advice of experts, point to the urgent necessity for a comprehensive mental health promotion strategy, and Amnesty welcomes that this national strategy is currently in production.

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Mental Health Campaign Review

Director of Schizophrenia Ireland and member of the new Expert Group on Mental Health, John Saunders, analyses Amnesty's mental health campaign.

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Double Discrimination - Mental Illness in Marginalised Groups

Policy Officer FIONA CROWLEY reviews the third and last report in a high profile Amnesty Ireland campaign on mental health.

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Mental Illness - The neglected quarter (summary)

Promoting the rights of one in four Irish people affected by mental illness.

Summary of the report (for the full report see the link below).

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