A FIANNA Fail private members' motion to annul regulations under the Health Insurance Act, 1994 was defeated by 27 votes to 19.
Mr Michael Finneran, Fianna Fail spokesman on health, claimed that the regulations constitute a serious discrimination against the psychiatrically ill". The motion was seconded by Mr Brendan Daly (FF).
Mr Finneran said the regulations give effect to a reduction of insurance cover for psychiatric patients from 180 days to 100 days a year.
Ms Cathy Honan (PDs) said there was no reason why Ireland should discriminate against psychiatric patients just because that discrimination existed in most EU countries. She understood that Ireland was not bound by any EU directive to change the previous regulations.
Mr Sean Maloney (Lab), a former psychiatric nurse, said while he had always believed that mentally ill patients were discriminated against, he was grateful that the Minister had significantly improved the situation for them.
Mr Joe Sherlock (DL) said that while welcoming the improvements to the draft regulations, he was "not convinced that the improvements go far enough".
In an impassioned speech Mr, Don Lydon (FF), a senior psychologist at St John of God's Hospital and lecturer at UCD, said that the Minister had been economical with the truth when he spoke of the support he had received from his hospital and St Patrick's. In a letter from Prof Anthony Clare Mr Noonan had not read out a section which said that Prof Clare pointed out "that they regretted the disparity" of treatment for mentally ill patients.
Mr Lydon declared: "Why is this happening? Why is it possible to make a difference between the mentally and physically ill? I believe it is the result of a mindset that does not recognise that mental illness is not just as painful debilitating and fatal as a physical illness."
Dr Mary Henry (Ind) said she would prefer to see no reduction at all in insurance cover for psychiatric patients. But it was import ant that they were covered for a minimum number of days and could increase their cover after the prescribed allocation was finished.
Mr Finneran reminded members that there is a provision under the Health Insurance Act for the Seanad to annul regulations made under legislation within 21 sitting days after the regulations were laid before the Oireachtas on March 28th.
The Minister for Health, Mr Noonan, told the House that before signing the regulations he had met authorities from St Patrick's and St John of God's hospitals and was pleased he had obtained their acceptance to his proposals.
He said that too days covered the "vast majority" of admissions in psychiatric hospitals. Where insured patients required treatment of over 100 days, "it is open to him or her to avail of in patient care in public psychiatric hospitals and public community based facilities". Therefore, he added, it was "completely false" to say that persons who use up their insurance cover will have no access to psychiatric care.
The concerns about the original proposals regarding the minimum period for treatment relating to alcohol, drug and other substance abuse had been met in the regulations. The original proposal "has been enhanced" from 40 days in a lifetime to 91 days in any continuous period of five years, he said.
The House adjourned until 10.30 today.