Vol. 405 No. 9
173 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Health (a) the number of ex-psychiatric patients who have been transferred into Ballymun, Dublin 9 in the years 1988, 1989 and 1990, (b) the financial or other assistance offered to these patients by the Eastern Health Board and (c) the liaison, if any, which took place with local community organisations regarding the transfer of these patients.
I have made inquiries of the Eastern Health Board concerning this matter and I understand that the board have written to the Deputy in relation to the issues raised.
The board have indicated that, as far as they are aware, no long stay patients were transferred from the Eastern Health Board psychiatric services to Ballymun during the years to which the Deputy refers. However, residents in Ballymun do have psychiatric in-patient care available to them for their psychiatric problems as appropriate. The board are developing community based psychiatric services in this area and the services of a full-time consultant psychiatric and support staff are available at the Ballymun Health Centre. The board are also in the process of upgrading a premises in the Ballymun Shopping Centre for use as a psychiatric day centre and this is due to open shortly.
Assistance has been provided by the Eastern Health Board to some residents in the Ballymun area in the form of furniture and household effects, in addition to assistance through the supplementary welfare system.
The board have very good liaison arrangements with voluntary organisations operating in the Ballymun area and the board have a special committee which keep all health and social related issues in their functional area under review.
