Monica Barnes
Question:121 Mrs. Barnes asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason for the delay in responding to the needs of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24491/00]
Written Answers. - Juvenile Offenders.
The young person concerned was on remand in a Department of Education and Science centre as she was facing criminal charges. Due to her behaviour, the centre was unable to keep her in care and the health board in whose functional area she lives took over the case. Initially, the health board did not have a suitable location in which to place the child and it was necessary to place her in a psychiatric hospital as a short-term measure pending the establishment of a specialised unit.
Funding for this purpose was made available to the health board as follows: capital funding of approximately £250,000 was made available to the board to convert a property already in the ownership of the board so that it would be suitable for use as a specialised unit – details of the final costs are not yet to hand; and £700,000 was made available to cover the full-year cost of operating the unit which will eventually house three troubled children and also to provide a dedicated psychology and counselling service which residents of the unit will have first call on, though the service may also be available to other troubled children in the board's functional area.
The delay in providing the service was due to the necessity to carry out the conversion work which was completed to allow the new unit to open as scheduled on 23 August last.
I am satisfied that this work was expedited and that there was no avoidable delay in providing this service.