Proposed Mental Health Bill 'utterly cruel', says College of Psychiatrists president

Dr Lorcan Martin, President of the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland, said: 'If psychiatrists were to follow the legislation as proposed, it would amount to torture as ill patients would see treatment deprived or delayed.'

The Government’s proposed Mental Health Bill is “cruel” and would amount to the “torture” of patients, the president of the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland has said.

In an address at the college’s annual conference in Dublin, Dr Lorcan Martin said this year is a crucial one for mental health service provision in Ireland with a hefty in-tray for the new Government.