Harris introduces new Mental Health Bill in the Dáil to tackle discrimination & stigma

Wicklow Fine Gael TD and Co-Chair of the Oireachtas Cross Party Group on Mental Health, Simon Harris, today (Wednesday) introduced the Mental Health (Anti-Discrimination) Bill 2013 on the floor of the Dáil.

Deputy Harris has co-authored the Bill with a representative from all political groupings in the Dáil.

The Bill aims to contribute to the elimination of discrimination against people who have been diagnosed with a mental health condition, by addressing existing legal provisions on the Statute books.

“I am really happy to have come together on a cross party basis and worked with colleagues right across the political spectrum to author this Bill aimed at tackling discriminations towards people with mental illness in a number of existing laws,” stated Deputy Harris.

“The Bill will now proceed to second stage, the next step in the legislative process and will be debated at a special sitting of the Dáil in the coming months. I look forward to speaking on the Bill at that stage and outlining its provisions,” continued Deputy Harris.

“The purpose of the Bill is to eliminate discrimination against people who have been diagnosed with a mental health condition. This I believe is a necessary step in ensuring greater understanding of mental health and examining and tackling our historic societal prejudices in this area,” said Deputy Harris.

ENDS