Irish Teenager Who Asked For An Abortion Was Sectioned Under Mental Health Act

Irish Teenager Who Asked For An Abortion Was Sectioned Under Mental Health Act
She was held in a mental health unit against her will.

June 13, 2017
Sara C Nelson Senior Editor, The Huffington Post UK

An Irish teenager who requested an abortion was instead sectioned and held in a mental health unit against her will.

The girl, whose name has not been released, was seen by a consultant psychiatrist who “was of the opinion that while the child was at risk of self-harm and suicide as a result of the pregnancy, this could be managed by treatment and that termination of the pregnancy was not the solution for all of the child’s problems at that stage.”

The girl and her mother had believed they were being “transferred to Dublin for a termination and she was very agitated when she found that she was being admitted to a mental health unit.”

Continued at source: Huffington Post UK: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/irish-teenager-who-asked-for-an-abortion-is-sectioned-under-mental-health-act_uk_593fd4d7e4b02402687ca82e


Ireland: Order detaining pregnant girl seeking abortion discharged

Order detaining pregnant girl seeking abortion discharged
June 12, 2017

An Order detaining a pregnant child under Section 25 of the Mental Health Act 2001 was discharged by a District Court judge on the grounds that the child no longer had a mental health disorder in accordance with section 3 of the Mental Health Act.

The Order detaining the child was made several days earlier on the evidence of a consultant psychiatrist who reported that the child had a mental health disorder within the meaning of the Mental Health Act. The consultant psychiatrist was of the opinion that while the child was at risk of self harm and suicide as a result of the pregnancy, this could be managed by treatment and that termination of the pregnancy was not the solution for all of the child’s problems at that stage.

The application to discharge the order was made on behalf of the guardian ad litem (GAL) for the child who was appointed by the District Court judge in the course of making the order for detention. The GAL visited the young girl on several occasions and reported to the different judge hearing the discharge application that she did not wish to be detained and was extremely upset.

Continued at source: Childcare Law Project: https://www.childlawproject.ie/publications/order-detaining-pregnant-girl-seeking-abortion-discharged/


Ireland: Pregnant young girl detained under mental health act after seeking abortion

Latest: Ruth Coppinger: Girl being put into psychiatric unit while seeking abortion is human rights violation
Monday, June 12, 2017

Update 3pm: A young girl being put into a psychiatric unit while seeking an abortion is a human rights violation, according to a Solidarity TD.

Ruth Coppinger said the case highlights serious flaws in the current laws around terminations of pregnancy.

The girl was suicidal, however she was reportedly detained under the Mental Health Act under the advice of a psychiatrist who said an abortion was not the solution.

Continued at source: Irish Examiner: https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/pregnant-young-girl-detained-under-mental-health-act-after-seeking-abortion-793163.html