Vol. 449 No. 8
10 Mr. Doherty asked the Minister for Health the alternative arrangements, if any, that have been made for psychiatric patients at Castlerea Hospital, County Roscommon; where such alternatives will be located; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4575/95]
(Limerick East): The Western Health Board is responsible for the delivery of mental health services in County Roscommon, including services provided in St. Patrick's Hospital, Castlerea.
The Western Health Board proposes to provide alternative accommodation for patients residing in or attending St. Patrick's Hospital as follows: two new medium support hostels in Castlerea; two new medium-support hostels in Boyle and Strokestown; a high support hostel in Castlerea for the more dependent patients; a psycho-geriatric unit in Castlerea; a workshop-training centre for 50 patients in Castlerea; an extension to the day care centre in Boyle; and a mental health centre in Castlerea.
The Western Health Board is currently in the process of acquiring, building and/or adapting these premises.
Has the argument been resolved between the Western Health Board and the Department of Health in relation to the extra funding required by the health board to implement this innovative scheme?
(Limerick East): The Deputy will be very familiar with this case because it was a decision in her time as Minister for Justice that brought about the dynamic which resulted in these changes in respect of the location of the prison in Castlerea.
On 16 January 1995 the Department of Finance gave approval to the Department of Health for capital funding of £3.197 million, of which £1.5 million had already been approved in 1994, for the development of mental health facilities in Castlerea to replace those in St. Patrick's Hospital. The Department of Finance has made it a condition of approval that of the total £0.5 million should be sourced from the sale of surplus lands by the Western Health Board not later than 1996 and that £0.2 million be provided from within the board's allocation from the European Regional Development Fund for training workshops.The Department of Finance queried the necessity of siting central stores in Castlerea and proposed that unused space in the Sacred Heart Home, Roscommon, be converted for this purpose.
The Department also considered the Athlone day centre to be an avoidable development and queried the need for a contingency sum in the present climate. The Western Health Board was informed by the Department of Health of the Department of Finance decision by way of letter on 30 January last. That is where the matter rests. It was not an argument between the Department of Health and the Western Health Board, our friends in the Department of Finance were also involved.
Will the Minister follow the commitment given by his predecessor that no delay will occur in the timetable for the building of the prison as a result of a lack of funding for the health board to provide alternative facilities?
(Limerick East): A sum of £3.197 million has been provided.
