I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this very important and sensitive matter on the Adjournment. I wish to place on record my appreciation of the excellent services provided by St. Luke's Hospital, Clonmel, and St. Patrick's Hospital, Cashel. However, widespread concern has been expressed by the patients, their relatives and staff of the hospital about the proposal, which is now before the South Eastern Health Board, to move 80 non-ambulant patients from St. Patrick's Geriatric Hospital in Cashel to St. Luke's Psychiatric Hospital. This proposal is contrary to the concept of integrating psychiatric patients into the community contained in the excellent document on psychiatric services, Planning for the Future, published by the Minister's Department. This proposal is contrary to that concept as it proposes to move patients from a geriatric institution, where they have been for a long number of years, to a psychiatric campus. I understand that this proposal was put forward in view of the fire hazard in St. Mary's ward in St. Patrick's Hospital, Cashel. Even though fire escapes were provided in this hospital not very long ago obviously they are not adequate. Our primary concern is for the safety of these patients.
It is estimated by the board of the hospital that the cost of removing these patients will be approximately £97,000. I suggest to the Minister that this money could more usefully be spent in refurbishing the ground floor accommodation in St. Patrick's Hospital so as to ensure that it would not be a fire hazard. Under a rationalisation programme, this accommodation was recently vacated and laundry and kitchen services were centralised in St. Luke's Hospital. This proposal could contain a hidden agenda; it may even be a sinister move on the part of the health board. I ask the Minister to ask his Department to initiate immediately an investigation into this proposal as the health board will make a request to the Minister for funding to refurbish accommodation in St. Luke's Hospital, Clonmel, to accommodate these patients.
This proposal is a backward step. We must have some regard for the patients and their relatives. We must also bear in mind the fire risks which exist in the hospital. I accept that patients from Carrick-on-Suir and Clonmel would like to be closer to home, but St. Patrick's Hospital is the established geriatric unit for County Tipperary. This hospital, which has provided a service for 150 years, was recently commemorated by a tremendous ceremony there. Books have been written about the hospital. As I said, this proposal is a backward step. The hospital has already lost its kitchen and laundry facilities. The hospital authorities accepted this decision because it was part of a cost-saving and rationalisation exercise. However, they do not want to lose half their patients. I plead with the Minister not to accede to this request from the health board and to use his influence and that of his Department to use this money to refurbish St. Patrick's Hospital so that it will not be a fire hazard.