Every adult who is involuntarily detained in an approved centre will have each detention order referred to a mental health tribunal (tribunal) to be reviewed. The tribunal is made up of three people:
a legal member (a barrister or solicitor who will act as Chairperson)
a consultant psychiatrist
a lay member
Tribunal Chairpersons
The Commission maintains a panel of tribunal chairpersons for appointment to mental health tribunals. This panel is appointed as per How panels 1 to 4 are appointed. Chairpersons must be a practising barrister or solicitor who has had not less than 7 years’ experience as a practising barrister or solicitor immediately before their appointment to the panel. A tribunal chairperson cannot be on the panel of legal representatives. There are 93 active tribunal chairpersons on the panel as of 1 September 2023.
The Commission maintains a panel of tribunal consultant psychiatrists for appointment to mental health tribunals. This panel is appointed as per How panels 1 to 4 are appointed. To be on the panel, consultants must be on the division of psychiatry or the division of psychiatry of the Register of Medical Specialists maintained by the Medical Council of Ireland. There are 105 active tribunal consultant psychiatrists on the panel as of 1 September 2023.
The Commission maintains a panel of tribunal lay members for appointment to mental health tribunals. This panel is appointed as per How panels 1 to 4 are appointed. The lay member is a member of the public with knowledge or experience of mental health services or mental health legislation. To be on the panel, lay members must not come within the criteria to be a chairperson or tribunal consultant psychiatrist and they must not be a registered medical practitioner or a registered nurse. There are 89 active tribunal lay members on the panel as of 1 September 2023.
