asked the Minister for Health if he will make a statement on the reports concerning recent escapes by patients of the Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum, Dublin; and what steps are to be taken to prevent a recurrence of such escapes.
8.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Central Mental Hospital Escapes.
7.
asked the Minister for Health if he will make a statement on the recent escape of five prisoners from the Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum, Dublin, to allay the fears of the constituents of South County Dublin in the matter.
9.
(Cavan): asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a report (details supplied) regarding the recent escape of five patients from the Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum, Dublin; if he will make a statement on the circumstances of the escape; and if he will now hold a public inquiry into the conditions prevailing in that institution with particular reference to security.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 to 9 together.
As I already advised the House, following previous escapes, I set up a group to advise me on the additional measures which were necessary to prevent further escapes. I received the report of the group on 13th January and I immediately took steps to have their recommendations implemented. Included in their recommendations was the carrying out of certain building works on the wall surrounding the hospital. Some of this work was being carried out by the Office of Public Works on 11th instant and a ladder was in use. The Office of Public Works did not advise the hospital staff of the exact nature of the work as it did not regard it as a security risk, owing to the distance from the place where it was being carried out to the places used by patients. A number of patients were at recreation in the grounds, 150/200 yards from the place where the work was in progress. A group of six, apparently in accordance with a preconceived plan, suddenly dashed for the ladder and, in spite of the efforts of the hospital and building staff, five succeeded in climbing up the ladder and getting across the wall.
Let me say that I am very perturbed by these escapes. I have already had the matter fully investigated by my medical inspectors. I am not satisfied that the staff of the hospital gave sufficient thought to the possible dangers created by the work in progress, particularly the availability of a ladder within the hospital grounds. It is easy, however, to have hindsight in a case like this and I have had to look at the matter from all angles. It must be borne in mind that the patients involved are young and active. They are of the psychopathic type who are notoriously difficult to treat or manage and they are capable of plotting and of combining together to effect escapes. At the same time they are patients and an effort must be made to treat them as such. If all were kept continuously locked up in their rooms, or were kept continuously under heavy sedation escapes would be unlikely to occur but then the staff, rightly, would be accused of inhuman treatment. In trying to draw a reasonable line between what was required in the interests of security and the interests of humane treatment an error of judgement occurred, in my opinion. I am satisfied, however, that there was no culpable neglect of duty.
Arrangements have already been made that the Office of Public Works will in future keep the hospital staff fully advised of all work in progress. I have also drawn the attention of the hospital staff to the need to be particularly vigilant to ensure, as far as possible, that conditions which permit of escapes do not occur again.
(Cavan): Is the Minister aware that a report appeared in the Irish Independent of 15th instant in which it was stated that members of the staff have stated that there is more security in a kindergarten school than there is in this hospital, that the 45 wardens there have made representations to the Minister with a view to getting the staff strengthened, and that they have also suggested that some of the patients there should be sent back to prison? It is also stated that none of the five men who escaped was mentally ill and it is stated that the staff there are terrified of attacks from patients. Might I suggest to the Minister——
The Deputy is making a speech. He is entitled to put a question.
(Cavan): I am asking a question. May I ask the Minister if he is aware that at least a number of the patients who are in this hospital have been sent there by juries in murder trials and that it is quite likely that the juries extended the benefit of the doubt to these patients, having been faced with conflicting medical evidence, with one medical man saying they were insane and another medical man saying they were sane, and that it is quite unreasonable to treat these patients, as apparently the Minister is doing, as ordinary mental patients?
I have already dealt with that at great length in connection with questions asked by Deputy Dr. Browne. The report in the Sunday Independent was grossly inaccurate.
(Cavan): It was not the Sunday Independent.
Was the Deputy not referring to that? Was it some other report?
(Cavan): The Irish Independent.
I can assure the Deputy that none of the conditions as described by him are known to me as being correct. The whole administration of this hospital is being taken over by the Eastern Health Board and I imagine there will be a re-examination of some of the functions of the hospital and its operations. I have already indicated to the House that a revision is being made in relation to some of the people in the hospital as to whether they should be there or in a mental hospital. It will come up for the decision of myself and the Minister for Justice as to whether it would be possible to transfer certain prisoners to ordinary mental hospitals.
Question No. 10.
Is the Minister aware of a report in this morning's paper to the effect that two drug addicts escaped yesterday evening? Will he make a statement on when this hospital was first used as a drug addiction centre?
I am afraid I do not know.
That is a separate matter. The questions relate to the escape of five prisoners.
(Cavan): This is a general question. Will the Minister hold an inquiry into this?
I have already held an inquiry into it.
(Cavan): That was a private inquiry.
I have been very frank with the House. I have not tried to hide anything. The position is that the Office of Public Works go there habitually to make repairs or to do one thing or another. A number of things are being done to ensure that there is greater security in the hospital.
(Cavan): They were provided with ladders to get out.
There is an informal arrangement between the governor of the hospital and the Office of Public Works that it could be understood that the Office of Public Works would warn the governor of certain works they would be undertaking in which there might be a security risk. I have now arranged that there must be a very specific understanding that the head nurse must be immediately informed in detail of anything that the Office of Public Works are doing around the place that might encourage escapes. I cannot do more than that.
Will the Minister consider holding an inquiry into the type of patients being admitted there?
I will not, no. As I have already told the Deputy, I am satisfied that the rumours and allegations in regard to the admission of patients to the Central Mental Hospital were entirely false.
It was obvious some of the patients were wrongly committed.
The Deputy asked me about a patient and he knew nothing whatever about the patient's previous history.
I saw the patient; the Minister did not.