asked the Minister for Health if he will state (a) the combined total accommodation available in institutions catering for child mental defectives, and (b) the total number of such children awaiting admission at the nearest convenient date.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Child Mental Defectives.
The total accommodation available at present in mental defective institutions is approximately 2,380 beds. It is expected that a further 210 beds will become available early next year. The planning for the provision of a further 175 beds is in progress.
The Deputy will appreciate that many persons remain in institutions after they have reached adult age and consequently it is not possible to state the number of beds available for the accommodation of children as distinct from adults.
The aggregate of the waiting lists in all the institutions concerned is, at present, 1,242. Any conclusions based upon these waiting lists would, however, be misleading as applications for admission are usually made simultaneously to a number of institutions. The actual number of children awaiting admission to these institutions would accordingly be considerably smaller.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that even if the figures do show a certain amount of duplication and possibly triplication, there is a very serious problem in regard to the number of mentally defective children awaiting admission; and has the Minister any plans to provide by way of grant the necessary help to increase the accommodation? It is a very acute problem.
St. Joseph's, Clonsilla, in which there will be 150 extra beds and Stewart's Hospital, Palmerstown, in which there will be 60 beds, are nearing completion. In planning we have the school and home of the Immaculate Conception, Cregg House, County Sligo, and St. Mary's, County Westmeath, giving a total of 175 beds.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary say if anything is being done in regard to St. Vincent's, Annacoty, County Limerick, where there is accommodation for 36 children and 160 on the waiting list?
I would ask the Deputy to repeat that question at a later date.