Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 January 2026
19. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Health her response to the Mental Health Commission’s recent report on the use of restrictive practices in approved centres; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4979/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe use of restrictive practices in Ireland is highly regulated in line with the Rules made by the Mental Health Commission. I welcomed the Mental Health Commission’s recently published report on the use of restrictive practices in 2024, which confirms a significant shift away from restrictive practices which is an important goal of our national mental health policy, Sharing the Vision.
It is encouraging to see the impact of adopting a person-centred, human rights-based approach to mental health care, in line with the Commission’s Seclusion and Restraint Reduction Strategy.
Overall, the number of reported restrictive practices continued to decline in 2024. This decline is the continuation of a trend observed over the previous five years.
• In 2024, there were 2,836 total episodes of restrictive practices (seclusion and physical restraint), a decrease of 18% from 3,467 episodes in 2023.
• Total restrictive practices have decreased by 48.64% over five years, from 5,830 episodes in 2020 to 2,836 in 2024 – the lowest annual total since reporting began in 2008.
The new Mental Health Bill, which I am currently progressing through the Seanad, also includes a range of safeguards for situations where restrictive practices may still be necessary.
Any restrictive intervention which compromises a person’s liberty should be the safest and least restrictive option of last resort necessary to manage the immediate situation, be proportionate to the assessed risk, and employed for the shortest possible duration.
The use of restrictive practices is highly regulated in line with the Rules made by the Mental Health Commission, and this will continue to be the case under the new Mental Health Bill, which I look forward to enacting in the coming weeks.
