Mental Health Act, 2001

Membership of Commission.

35.—(1) The Commission shall consist of 13 members who shall be appointed to be members of the Commission by the Minister.

(2) Of the members of the Commission—

(a) one shall be a person who has had not less than 10 years' experience as a practising barrister or solicitor in the State ending immediately before his or her appointment to the Commission,

(b) 3 shall be representative of registered medical practitioners (of which 2 shall be consultant psychiatrists) with a special interest in or expertise in relation to the provision of mental health services,

(c) 2 shall be representative of registered nurses whose names are entered in the division applicable to psychiatric nurses in the register of nurses maintained by An Board Altranais under section 27 of the Nurses Act, 1985 ,

(d) one shall be representative of social workers with a special interest in or expertise in relation to the provision of mental health services,

(e) one shall be representative of psychologists with a special interest in or expertise in relation to the provision of mental health services,

(f) one shall be representative of the interest of the general public,

(g) 3 shall be representative of voluntary bodies promoting the interest of persons suffering from mental illness (at least 2 of whom shall be a person who is suffering from or has suffered from mental illness),

(h) one shall be representative of the chief executives of the health boards,

(i) not less than 4 shall be women and not less than 4 shall be men.

(3) The members of the Commission appointed pursuant to subsection (2)(b) shall be persons nominated for appointment thereto by such organisation or organisations as the Minister considers to be representative of such medical practitioners.

(4) The members of the Commission appointed pursuant to subsection (2)(c) shall be persons nominated for appointment thereto by such organisation or organisations as the Minister considers to be representative of such nurses.

(5) The member of the Commission appointed pursuant to subsection (2)(d) shall be a person nominated for appointment thereto by such organisation or organisations as the Minister considers to be representative of such social workers.

(6) The member of the Commission appointed pursuant to subsection (2)(e) shall be a person nominated for appointment thereto by such organisation or organisations as the Minister considers to be representative of such psychologists.

(7) The members of the Commission appointed pursuant to subsection (2)(g) shall be persons nominated for appointment thereto by such organisation or organisations as the Minister considers to be representative of such voluntary bodies.