Vol. 486 No. 5
67 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make extra resources available to a hospital (details supplied) in County Dublin for the necessary upgrading of the facilities to be carried out in 1998. [2955/98]
The hospital to which the Deputy refers is administered by the Eastern Health Board. The board's current development plan in relation to the hospital campus provides for the closure of old wards in the main hospital block in line with a reduction in patient numbers in the psychiatric service and mental handicap service provided at the hospital. This will be facilitated by the provision of purpose built residential facilities in the community and on the hospital campus for residents with a mental handicap, and the transfer of long-term older psychiatric patients from the main hospital block to more modern accommodation on the hospital campus as vacancies arise.
I recently paid a visit to the hospital to view for myself the facilities and services provided. I have also met with the chief executive officer of the Eastern Health Board to discuss the development and the measures required to implement the remaining elements of the board's plan for the overall development of the campus. Following my visit to the hospital, the management agreed to submit proposals to me in respect of the most urgent needs for the development of mental health facilities. I will have these proposals given priority attention as soon as they have been finalised by the Eastern Health Board. Plans in respect of the development of mental handicap services have already been received and are currently being considered by my Department. I assure the Deputy that my Department and the board are fully committed to the implementation of the overall development programme for the hospital which will continue in 1998.
