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Andrew McGinley: Other children 'won't see 10th birthday' without mental health reforms

Andrew McGinley's three children were killed by their mother Deirdre Morley in 2020
Jack Quann
Jack Quann

22.24 19 Apr 2022


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Andrew McGinley: Other childre...

Andrew McGinley: Other children 'won't see 10th birthday' without mental health reforms

Jack Quann
Jack Quann

22.24 19 Apr 2022


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The father of three children who were killed by their mother says other children 'will not see their 10th birthday' without reform of mental health laws.

Andrew McGinley's three children - Conor, Darragh and Carla - were suffocated by their mother Deirdre Morley in January 2020.

She was found not guilty of their murder by reason of insanity.

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Mr McGinley is campaigning for reforms in the Irish mental health system and of the Mental Health Act.

Una Butler, who lost her daughters Zoe and Ella in a similar incident, is also involved in the campaign.

They want to see family inclusion at all stages of a patient's mental health care.

Speaking on The Hard Shoulder, Mr McGinley says Tuesday is a special day.

"In all reality, unless you live through something like this, ask me four years ago what I would have thought of mental health.

"I didn't know anything about it really, until Dee started seeking treatment.

"It's not until you live through it that you become - I suppose - passionate about these things.

"But here I am on Darragh's 10th birthday - Darragh would have been 10 today - and I just think that unless changes are made, there will be children out there who will not see their 10th birthday because of similar traumatic experiences what myself and Una Butler experienced".

He says involving family is recommended, but is not being practiced.

"William Flannery, who's the president of the College of Psychiatrists in Ireland, has declared that the majority of its member are in favour of family inclusion.

"So if everybody's in favour of it, and if it's in as a recommendation, start practicing it - or else write it into the act.

"And it's a very simple message from both myself and Una Butler: in both  our cases we feel that family inclusion would have saved the lives of Conor, Darragh, Carla and her daughters Zoe and Ella".

Andrew McGinley: Other children 'won't see 10th birthday' without mental health reforms

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Main image: Andrew McGinley with Conor, Darragh and Carla McGinley

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Andrew McGinley Carla Conor Darragh Deirdre Morley Mental Health Reform The Hard Shoulder Una Butler William Flannery

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