asked the Minister for Health if she will immediately make finance available for the staffing and heating of the two new ten-bed chalet units at Carriglea training centre, Dungarvan, County Waterford and the three new ten-bed chalet units at Belmont Park Hospital, Waterford for mentally handicapped persons which have been built and equipped for some time.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dungarvan Mentally Handicapped Facilities.
12.
The question of the allocation of the necessary funds to enable new facilities to be brought into service, including the units mentioned by the Deputy is at present under consideration by the Government as part of its overall review of the public finances.
Mentally handicapped persons are referred to in the question. The question relates to mentally handicapped adults which, as the Minister is aware, is the area of greatest need in regard to mentally handicapped persons. Will the Minister confirm to the House that these two units are fully completed and standing idle since the beginning of October — certainly they were due to have been completed at that time? All that is required at this stage is staffing and heating to put these into operation. The cost of doing this in each would be approximately £30,000 for the two ten-bed units for the remainder of this year and £25,000 for the three ten-bed units for the remainder of this year. Would the Minister therefore not agree that it is a scandalous situation that such valuable facilities, totally completed and ready to be occupied, will not now be got under way because of the Government's refusal to contribute that kind of money to putting them into operation?
As far as the unit at Carriglea is concerned, the annual running cost of the chalet is estimated to be about £230,700 in a full year, and the running costs in relation to St. Michael's training centre at Belmont Park, Waterford, is estimated at £203,300 in a full year. I am not saying this is being shelved. I am saying that it is being reconsidered in the light of the general review. I do not accept the Deputy's allegation.
Does the Minister agree that the cost this year, when the Government are so concerned about their current finances, to open both of them would be only of the order of £50,000? The Minister told us that the full year's cost would approximately be £430,000 to open both units. Does the Minister agree that the Government plan to take, as was told to us in this House, £86 million in additional health charges next year? How can the Government be concerned about finding the money to continue this facility for the adult mentally handicapped, which is ready to go ahead now, in next year's situation? As far as this year is concerned would she not agree that £50,000 is a very small price to provide two excellent facilities for mentally handicapped adults?
As far as this year is concerned, as the Deputy knows well, the money was not available. There was a considerable shortfall in this year's estimate. So far as the other matter is concerned, I have already told the Deputy that this is under review and as far as money is made available to me I will certainly make money available for this. I cannot say more at this stage.