The Labour Party has called for new mental health legislation to allow patients in psychiatric hospitals have their detention reviewed at regular intervals.
The party is also looking for a charter of rights for the mentally ill and the upgrading of all substandard psychiatric hospital accommodation as part of a radical review of the State's mental health policy.
Launching the party's paper on mental health, Opening Our Minds, the Labour spokeswoman on health, Ms Liz McManus, yesterday said the treatment of mental illness in Ireland was currently governed by legislation of 1945.
"This legislation is outdated and needs to be radically reformed. However, despite repeated promises, this Government has still not published the long-awaited mental health Bill."
She claimed people with a mental illness were among the most marginalised in our society.
"Their basic rights are not fully protected. The recent 1998 report of the Inspector of Mental Institutions highlighted grave deficiencies in our current services and in particular pointed to the failings in community care. An official response to this state of affairs is urgently required."
Ms McManus said there were more than 70 people in psychiatric hospitals who had been involuntarily detained for over 30 years. Under the 1945 Act they had no automatic right to a re view of their detention and many would probably remain in an institution for the rest of their lives.
She said the grounds on which a person could be involuntarily committed to an institution needed to be reformed, with the "inherent inequality" in the process removed.
The policy document contains 19 proposals to transform the treatment of people. They include the establishment of a commission to protect the rights of all mentally disabled individuals both in and outside of the hospital system, the establishment of comprehensive community-based psychiatric services and the setting-up of an inter-departmental group to oversee the social care of the mentally ill. The Minister for Health, Mr Cowen, is expected to publish the mental health Bill within weeks.