asked the Minister for Health if, in view of public concern over the recent disclosure of primitive conditions in some mental hospitals, he will consider having a public inquiry into conditions in all mental hospitals in Ireland.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Mental Hospital Conditions.
6.
Many of our mental hospital buildings were erected in the last century when the circumstances then prevailing led to the development of large structures with facilities which fall far short of modern standards. This is a legacy of the past of which I am only too well aware and which I am doing everything possible to remedy. In recent years considerable efforts have been made to improve standards. There are, however, still sections of hospitals which leave much to be desired.
Improvement works costing nearly £4 million are at present under construction, or at an advanced stage of planning for mental hospitals and considerable further improvement schemes are under consideration. My Department are pressing ahead with all possible speed to bring about the necessary improvements. In these circumstances I do not feel that any useful purpose would be served by having a public inquiry into conditions in all our mental hospitals.
Would the Minister consider requesting an up-to-date report from every mental hospital without necessarily having a public inquiry? Further, will the Minister admit that the conditions exposed in two mental hospitals were more relevant to the Victorian era than to the present time? These are not isolated incidents and therefore the Minister should have an inquiry carried out or else have a report made on conditions in our mental hospitals.
In reply to the Deputy I have no intention of having an inquiry carried out.
Does the Minister not wish to hear about the conditions in these hospitals?
Perhaps the Deputy might listen to me. The position is that I have on my desk a complete report on the conditions in our mental hospitals and I know exactly what is the position. I need no commission of inquiry whatever. I also have available to me the report of the Commission on Mental Illness and reports are made every year. At the moment there are improvements actually in progress or down for planning in respect of 14 of the mental hospitals and every effort is being made to improve the position.
Is the Minister aware of the conditions in St. Ita's and in Cork?
I take it that the Minister's statement is correct because I am aware that reports on all mental hospitals have been sent to the Department by the health boards but will the Minister not agree that the matter is one of money? It is very costly to provide for new buildings and necessary improvements. Perhaps the Minister will endeavour to persuade the Government to view this matter in a more favourable light so that the conditions about which Deputy Dr. O'Connell speaks might be improved?
This is more than a matter of money; it is a matter of planning. It is also a matter of separating the mentally handicapped from the mentally ill and finding places for them. A total of 1,500 places is being prepared for the mentally handicapped, both severely and moderately handicapped. There is also the problem of planning in so far as there is a reduction in the number of permanently institutionalised medical patients because of more modern treatment and domiciliary treatment of psychiatric patients. All these matters must be examined very carefully. Modern techniques are made use of but the solution cannot be found in a period of one or two years. It is a question of a steady programme of improvement over a period.
Money is a big factor in relation to the problem.