S.I. No. 231/1963:

CENTRAL MENTAL HOSPITAL (VISITING COMMITTEE) REGULATIONS, 1963.

CENTRAL MENTAL HOSPITAL (VISITING COMMITTEE) REGULATIONS, 1963.

The Minister for Health, in exercise of the powers vested in him by section 9 of the Central Criminal Lunatic Asylum (Ireland) Act, 1845, as adapted by article 4 of the Health (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order, 1947 (S.R. and O. 1947 No. 58) hereby makes the following Regulations:--

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Central Mental Hospital (Visiting Committee) Regulations, 1963.

2. In these Regulations--

the expression "the Hospital" means the Central Mental Hospital;

the expression "the Committee" means the Visiting Committee of the Hospital established under these Regulations; and

the expression "the Minister" means the Minister for Health.

3.--(1) A Visiting Committee for the Hospital shall be established to perform the functions assigned to them by these Regulations.

(2) The Committee shall consist of twelve persons appointed by the Minister.

(3) The members of the Visiting Committee appointed under the Dundrum Central Lunatic Asylum (Visiting Committee) Regulations, 1948, and holding office on the date of these Regulations shall be the first members of the Visiting Committee under these Regulations and each such member, unless he sooner dies, resigns or is removed from office by the Minister, shall hold office until 31st day of March, 1964.

(4) The term of office of a member of the Committee other than a member appointed under the foregoing sub-article shall be such period not exceeding three years as may be specified by the Minister when appointing such member and he shall hold office for the period for which he is appointed unless he sooner dies resigns or is removed from office by the Minister.

(5) The Committee may act notwithstanding one or more vacancies among their members.

4.--(1) The persons who were chairman and vice-chairman of the Committee at the date of these Regulations shall continue to be chairman and vice-chairman, respectively, until the 31st day of March, 1964.

(2) At the first meeting of the Committee held next after the 1st day of April, 1964, and after the 1st day of April in each subsequent year, the Committee shall elect from among their members a chairman and vice-chairman who shall each, if he remains a member of the Committee, remain in office until the 31st day of March following.

5. The Committee shall, for the purpose of visiting and inspecting the Hospital meet once in each month or, if they pass a resolution that for reasons specified in the resolution less frequent meetings are sufficient, not less than six times in each year.

6. The quorum of the Committee shall be four.

7. The Committee, or any two or more members nominated by the Committee in that behalf, shall be entitled at all times to visit the Hospital, to have free access to every part thereof and to inspect the books and records of the Hospital.

8. The Committee or any members thereof nominated under article 7 of these Regulations shall be accompanied on each inspection of the Hospital by the Resident Physician and Governor of the Hospital or the Assistant Resident Medical Officer acting on his behalf.

9. The Committee shall--

(a) during their visits to the Hospital hear any complaints which may be made to them by any patient, and, if so requested by the patient, hear any such complaint in private;

(b) report to the Minister any abuses which they may observe in the course of their visits;

(c) report to the Minister any repairs to the Hospital which appear to them to be urgently needed;

(d) report to the Minister any matter relating to the Hospital which the Committee think it expedient to report or on which they have been requested by the Minister to make a report.

10. The Committee shall not inquire into or receive any complaint or make any report relating to the services, remuneration, privileges or superannuation of the officers and servants of the Hospital or any of such officers or servants,

11. Within one week after each visit to the Hospital, the Committee or, as the case may be, the members thereof who have visited the Hospital shall submit a report on the visit to the Minister.

12. The Committee shall comply with and observe these Regulations and all other rules for the good conduct and management of the Hospital for the time being in force.

13. The Dundrum Central Lunatic Asylum (Visiting Committee) Regulations, 1948 ( S.I. No. 425 of 1948 ) are hereby revoked.

GIVEN under the official seal of the Minister for Health this twenty-second

day of November, 1963.

SEÁN MAC ENTEE,

Minister for Health.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These Regulations fix the number of members of the Visiting Committee of the Central Mental Hospital, alter the date for the election of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Committee, and extend the term of office of the existing Committee from 31st December, 1963 to 31st March, 1964.