Vol. 543 No. 3
120 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health and Children when an appropriate facility will be provided for the 273 people with an intellectual disability who are accommodated at St. Ita's Hospital, Portrane, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27119/01]
I have been informed by the Eastern Regional Health Authority that the process of transferring 30 residents from St. Joseph's intellectual disability services, Portrane, to the new facility in Clonmethan is ongoing. The Northern Area Health Board expects to submit an application for planning shortly in respect of the new residential and day facilities on the St. Ita's campus for a further 60 persons. It was essential that an overall control plan was developed for the campus as a whole before decisions could be taken in relation to the siting of the new facilities for the St. Joseph's services. While detailed work was ongoing in relation to the brief for the project during this time, definitive plans and costings in relation to the facilities could not be completed until this process had been finalised.
A site has been sourced in Lusk for the development of a complex similar to Clonmethan which would accommodate a further 30 residents from the St. Joseph's services. As part of the national development plan proposals, the provision of additional accommodation for a further 30 residents on the grounds of St. Brendan's Hospital is also planned.
In addition the authority have informed me that over £1 million – 1.27 million – in capital funding was invested in existing facilities in St. Joseph's intellectual disability services between 2000 and 2001 to improve infrastructure, services and facilities for residents.
