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Dr Charles O’Mahony recently presented a keynote address, “Remembering Fiona Morrissey’s Scholarship & Advocacy: A Human Rights Critique of the Mental Health Bill 2024”, at the 16th Annual Critical Perspectives in Mental Health Conference, held at University College Cork on 8–9 November 2024. Fiona passed away tragically young in November 2023 after a long illness. 

In his address, Charles paid tribute to his late friend and colleague, Dr Fiona Morrissey, whose scholarship and advocacy significantly shaped Irish mental health law and policy. Fiona was a graduate of the School of Law at University of Galway and an Adjunct Lecturer. His presentation highlighted Fiona’s pioneering work on advance healthcare directives and her advocacy for aligning Irish mental health legislation with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). Charles also critiqued the Mental Health Bill 2024, emphasising its shortcomings in fully realising the rights-based framework Fiona championed.

Dr Fiona Morrissey’s scholarship, rooted in her empirical and comparative research, continues to inspire law and policy reforms. The conference also featured a panel discussion, “Remembering Fiona Morrissey’s Scholarship & Advocacy”, with contributions from Dr Mark Kelly (Fiona’s husband), Dr Liz Brosnan, Ber Grogan, Fiona Anderson, Prof Mary Donnelly, and Dr Mary Keys (Fiona’s PhD supervisor). The panel reflected on Fiona’s many contributions as a distinguished scholar and human rights campaigner. Panellists discussed Fiona’s impact as a researcher and advocate, her collaboration with people with lived experience of mental health services, and her extensive engagement with policymakers and stakeholders.