A lack of co-operation by consultants has prevented the creation of tribunals for people who were involuntarily detained in psychiatric institutions, the Dáil was told.
Minister for Health Mary Harney said the tribunals "have not been established because the consultants have not been prepared to participate".
She told Fine Gael's deputy leader Richard Bruton that "we need at least 50 psychiatrists to participate, but do not yet have anywhere near that many".
Mr Bruton had raised the issue following a court case when €2.2 million was awarded to a person wrongly detained in a psychiatric institution. "When will the tribunals that were promised by legislation be established to deal with cases where people feel they have been wrongly treated in mental health institutions?"
Ms Harney said "when we have a sufficient number of psychiatrists on the panels, the work will begin immediately around the 600 people who were involuntarily detained".
The tribunals once established will review decisions on the admission of involuntary patients within 21 days of their detention.
Ms Harney said she hoped over the next week to sign regulations linked to the 2004 Mental Health Act. Asked when the tribunals were likely to be set up, she said they had nowhere near the minimum of 50 doctors necessary to take part, but "work is ongoing to achieve this target over the coming weeks".
