Mental Health Lawyers Association Conference

The Faculty of Law, University College Cork, and the Mental Health Lawyers Association

are jointly organising a conference on Mental Health Law which will take place in Brookfield Health Sciences Complex, UCC, Cork on Friday 26 February from 10 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.

The conference will be followed at 4.30 p.m. by the launch of a new book on Mental Health Law and Practice by Dr Darius Whelan. Dr Mary Henry, former independent Senator, will speak at the launch.

For full details and a booking form for the conference, see
http://www.ucc.ie/en/lawsite/eventsandnews/events/mentalh2010/

Speakers at the conference include:

Dr Mary Donnelly, Faculty of Law, UCC
Mr Mark Felton, Solicitor, Chairperson, Mental Health Lawyers Association
Ms Mary Forde, Legal Officer, Amnesty International
Ms Áine Hynes, Solicitor, Vice Chairperson, Mental Health Lawyers Association
Mr Hugh Kane, CEO, Mental Health Commission
Mr Michael Lynn, Barrister at Law
Ms Patricia Rickard-Clarke, Law Reform Commission
Mr Diarmaid Ring, Mental Health Service User and Activist
Dr Darius Whelan, Faculty of Law, UCC

If you wish to attend the book launch, please email lawevents@ucc.ie.

RSVP: 19 February 2010.

RTE Prime Time report on the current state of the Irish mental health system

Miriam O’Callaghan speaks to people who have had experience of Ireland’s mental health system and its dilapidated institutions. John Moloney, Minister for Equality, Disability and Mental Health,

and Dr Justin Brophy, President of The College of Psychiatry of Ireland, discuss the Government’s plans for the mental health system.
The entire programme can be viewed on RTE Player by clicking here.

Broadcast on: Tue, 9 February 2010
Available until: Tue, 2 March 2010

Mental Capacity Bill

Currently, where a person is considered incapable of managing his affairs, an application to court can be made to make that person a ward of court. On 15 September 2008, the Government approved proposals for a Mental Capacity Bill (Bill). The purpose of the Bill is to replace the wards of court system, in so far as it applies to adults, with a modern framework governing decision-making on behalf of persons who lack capacity.
The Bill will therefore only apply to persons who have reached the age of majority. It will also give effect to the Hague Convention on the International Protection of Adults and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Read the full article in The Irish Medical Times HERE