Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 13 Jun 2013

Vol. 806 No. 3

Topical Issue Debate

Sale of Strategic Energy Assets

Deputy Noel Harrington

I thank the Ceann Comhairle's office for selecting this issue for discussion and the Minister, Deputy Pat Rabbitte, for coming to the House to deal with it.

Late last week Phillips 66, a subsidiary of Conocophillips, announced through Deutsche Bank its intention to put the Whiddy Island oil storage terminal and Whitegate Oil Refinery on the market. This has caused genuine concern among people in Cork, particularly those employed at the Whiddy and Whitegate terminals. At a national level these two facilities are of strategic importance to our oil and gas security. We have previously discussed the future of refining in this country. While both facilitates are separate in terms of operation, they are equally important.

The Whiddy Island terminal was set up by Gulf Oil and commenced oil storage operations in the 1960s. It has had a chequered history since, most notably the Betelgeuse disaster in 1979 which resulted in the loss of 50 lives. I understand the jetty has still not been repaired. The State has had an interest in the Whiddy oil terminal since. The development of a single point mooring has resulted in increased activity in recent years. International experiences such as the turmoil in north Africa, in particular Libya, have led to increased use of the Whiddy oil terminal for transshipping fuel and the storage of crude and other oil products which, in turn, has led to the creation of hundreds of jobs. The proposed sale of the terminal by Phillips 66 has, therefore, caused some concern.

The Whitegate Oil Refinery, while not in my constituency but of equal strategic importance to the country, is also up for sale. The people directly employed at these facilities need reassurance from the Minister in regard to the Government's future policy for the oil storage facility, the national oil reserves on Whiddy Island and at other locations around the country and, critically, any imminent decision on the future of refining in this country.

As regards increased activity in oil and gas exploration off the south and west coasts, the Minister might elaborate on whether there could be a tie-in between storage, refining and the exploration industry. It is critically important for the future energy security of the State that he make a statement on the future of these facilities.

Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Deputy Pat Rabbitte)

I can never get accustomed to speaking to a House in which there are no Opposition Members present. The Acting Chairman possibly provides the only opposition for the Government.

Acting Chairman (Deputy Thomas P. Broughan)

The most coherent opposition.

Deputy David Stanton

They have abandoned ship.

Deputy Pat Rabbitte

This is an entirely new experience for me.

I thank Deputy Noel Harrington for raising his concerns which I am sure are shared by many people about the somewhat unexpected announcement made last week. Security of oil supply is central to the economy and our economic and social development. Oil is imported either in the form of petroleum products or as crude oil. The crude oil imported into Ireland is refined in Cork. The refinery supplies about one quarter of the petroleum product on the domestic market. Some 75% of Irish oil supplies are imported in product form from neighbouring markets. Oil comprised 59% of total final energy consumption in Ireland in 2011. While significant efforts are under way to improve energy efficiency and increase renewable energy levels, it is clear, particularly in the heating and transport sectors, that oil will continue to play a pivotal role in the economy in the medium term. For this reason, ensuring a robust oil infrastructure on the island is an essential part of our security of supply strategy.

Ireland is a committed member of the International Energy Agency, IEA, and was one of its founding members. As part of our IEA and EU obligations, we hold 90 days worth of strategic oil stocks for use in a supply disruption. The National Oil Reserves Agency, NORA, holds 88 of Ireland's 90 days of strategic reserves of oil. The remaining two days worth are held by large oil consuming companies. In recent years NORA has been increasing the proportion of stocks held on the island of Ireland in line with Government policy to improve accessibility and the availability of oil stocks during an oil supply disruption.

At the end of December 2008, NORA held 46% of its stockholding obligation as physical stocks on the island of Ireland, 38% as physical stocks abroad and 16% as stock tickets. By the end of April 2013, NORA had made significant progress and now holds 71% of strategic oil stocks as physical stocks on the island of Ireland and 29% as physical stocks abroad.

To underpin this development, NORA has opened three new oil storage facilities, in Antrim, Dublin and Kerry, which have considerably enhanced oil security on the island of Ireland. NORA will continue to seek out new storage facilities on the island, subject to value for money considerations. Reducing energy consumption through energy efficiency measures is the first pillar of energy policy. We are also working hard to ensure that we meet our 2020 renewable energy target of 16% of all energy consumed across the economy coming from renewable sources. Discussions on the oil-refining sector in Europe have been ongoing at EU and IEA level in the last two years in view of how the sector has been developing internationally. My Department has been following these discussions closely.

Phillips 66, the current owner of Ireland's oil refinery in Cork, recently confirmed that it had commenced a process to market the refinery, storage terminal and associated business. The company has confirmed that it intends to continue operating the assets as usual during the marketing process, which is expected to last for several months. The refinery was in State ownership for some years and was operated by Irish National Petroleum Corporation, INPC, which sold the refinery together with the Bantry terminal in 2001 to a private company known as Tosco. Tosco subsequently sold on the refinery. The day-to-day operation of the refinery and terminal is a matter for the current owners, Phillips 66. Under the terms of the sale from INPC to Tosco, the refinery and terminal must continue to be operated until 2016. This obligation applies also to Phillips 66 and any subsequent owners.

My Department recently commissioned a review of the strategic case for oil refining requirements on the island of Ireland. The report has been finalised and was recently considered by the Government. I plan to publish the report shortly. My Department is also continuing to engage with Phillips 66 regarding its future plans for the Irish business.

Deputy Noel Harrington

I thank the Minister for his reply, in which his concern about this development showed through. I acknowledge the work Deputy Stanton has done on the east Cork facility at Whitegate and his continuing engagement with the management there. It is a very sensitive issue. We look forward to the publication of the report on the refining policy of the Government. I presume the report will be discussed at the joint committee, where we could debate the issue further. I welcome the Minister's statement about the diversification of oil storage facilities, which can only enhance our fuel security.

A concern that must be addressed relates to job security at both facilities. The Minister will share my concern that in addressing national issues of oil security, refining and storage, issues of employment and management at the facilities must also be considered. I thank the Minister again for his response and look forward to the debate on the policy on oil refining and storage that he will shortly engage in.

Deputy Pat Rabbitte

I assure Deputy Harrington that it is my intention in the very near future to publish the strategic study and I would be very happy to see it debated in the joint committee. It is open to the committee to bring in representatives from Phillips 66 to discuss different aspects of that company's decision. The fact is that the obligations to 2016 will remain in place. It is difficult to say what will happen in the months ahead, however. It has been the thrust of policy of the National Oil Reserves Agency to ensure that more and more of the stocks needed to meet our 90-day obligation are located in Ireland. Bantry, in the Deputy's own constituency, is hugely significant in that regard. I assure Deputies Harrington and Stanton and other colleagues from the region that we were dealing with the future of Whitegate before any announcement was made by its current owner on its long-term plans. Studies, both completed and under way, have been undertaken in Europe on the scale of refining capacity in the EU at the moment and on how essential or otherwise it is that each country maintain the same scale of refining capacity as existed in days gone by.

The Deputy asked me what connection, if any, existed between the prospects for oil finds in the broad vicinity of the facilities and the maintenance of Whitegate. I have visited the area and am aware of direct discussions between, for example, Barryroe and Whitegate management. It is too early to say what the story is, but certainly there is oil in the Barryroe strike. What has not yet been established is whether it is commercially viable and extractable. It may require the drilling of another two or three wells to establish that. It is encouraging, however. Clearly, the lead shareholder in the company sees a direct link between the prospect and the availability of the facility at Whitegate. In addition, the Deputy will know that we have recently started to drill off Dún Chaoin, which is a particularly hopeful prospect. One cannot say with any certainty, but it appears to be a significant development. All of this will be taken into account. Perhaps the time to resume the discussion will be when the Deputies have accessed the strategic study and have an opportunity to tease it through in committee.

Local Authority Charges Review

Deputy Patrick O'Donovan

I thank the Ceann Comhairle's office for selecting this topic and welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brian Hayes, to the House. Earlier, there was an indication that the issue might be taken by a representative of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. Someone was trying to disown it, which I found surprising, as there has been a Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill on the Seanad Order Paper since last August. There has been little movement on it, which is very disappointing.

The Minister of State will be aware, having met local authority members during the week, of the sense of frustration among commercial ratepayers, particularly retailers nationally, about the system of valuation and collection of rates. It is really causing major difficulties. This is the last Victorian form of taxation we have left. During the week, there was a Private Members' Bill before the House seeking the repeal of the local property tax. I support the concept of a local property tax, which is a form of local government revenue generation which is voluntary from the point of view of the valuation of residential houses.

We could learn an awful lot and apply it to the valuation of commercial property. Currently, the only thing the Valuation Office takes into consideration is the building's location, size and letting value. It does not take into account whether it is high up or low down, the commercial reality as it pertains to an individual, or the difficulties a person had in keeping the door open. One of the first hello letters people get when they establish businesses is a demand for rates from the local authority. Also, bad debts are accumulated and carried forward, particularly in the case of commercial premises for sale in commercially attractive areas. One of the primary reasons they cannot be sold is the debt, due to commercial rates from the local authority, associated with premises hanging in the background. In this country we are trying to deal with debt from the point of view of the State and the individual but we avoid addressing debt from the point of view of commercial property and the business community.

Members routinely say the only way we will stimulate growth in the economy to a real and sustainable level is to increase confidence. The retail sector has had its confidence sapped and is in dire need of having the calculation procedures for the collection of commercial rates reformed. Some two and a half years into this Government's term, even though the issue is a cornerstone of the programme for Government in terms of funding local authorities and empowering local authority representatives to get on with their jobs, the legislation is still hanging around and is no closer to the Dáil than it was a year ago. For that reason, I am disappointed.

Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (Deputy Brian Hayes)

I thank Deputy O'Donovan for raising this important matter. The Government published the Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012 on 3 August 2012 as part of its legislative programme. The main purpose of the Bill is to accelerate the revaluation programme, which is required to take account of the differential movements in property values that have occurred over a prolonged period of time in order to maintain uniformity in the valuation base. Such uniformity is essential in order to achieve the policy objective of ratepayers paying commercial rates on an equitable basis. This, in turn, supports a more competitive business environment and an improved compliance environment. Such a comprehensive revaluation of property has not been undertaken since the middle of the 19th century.

The Bill proposes a number of specific measures in this regard. It provides a statutory basis to enable the Valuation Office to put pilot schemes in place for outsourcing some of the revaluation work and exploring the possibility of introducing an element of self-assessment by ratepayers to the valuation process. There are additional provisions in the Bill that seek to streamline the current valuation process. Each of these will help to speed up the revaluation process. The Bill proceeded through Second Stage in Seanad Éireann in October. Officials in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and from the Valuation Office have engaged with a wide range of stakeholders and other interested parties on the Bill and potential amendments that may be introduced on Committee Stage.

The programme of revaluing all commercial and industrial properties in the State for rateable valuation purposes is the responsibility of the Valuation Office, which is headed by the Commissioner of Valuation, who is independent in the exercise of his statutory functions, which are principally derived from the Valuation Act 2001. The national revaluation programme was provided for in the 2001 Act and the expectation was that the complete revaluation of all commercial property in the State would take ten years to complete. That has not happened and the assumption has proven to be overly optimistic.

To date, the revaluation programme has been completed in the South Dublin County Council area in 2007, and in Fingal and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown county councils in 2009 and 2010 respectively. The revaluation of Dublin City Council, the largest in the country, began in May 2011 and will be completed with the publication of a new valuation list in December 2013, which will become effective for rating purposes from January 2014. The Valuation Office is continuing to extend the revaluation programme across the country. The commissioner signed valuation orders for the three Waterford rating authority areas on 12 December 2011 and for Limerick County Council and Limerick City Council on 29 March 2012. The Waterford and Limerick revaluations will be completed in 2013 and 2014 respectively. At that stage, approximately 33% of all rateable properties in the country, representing over 50% of the national valuation base in monetary terms, will have been revalued. The Commissioner has also indicated his intention, subject to a statutory consultation process that is now under way, to sign valuation orders for Galway City Council, Carlow and Kilkenny rating authority areas during 2013.

Deputy Patrick O'Donovan

I accept what the Minister of State said in terms of the painstaking nature of the acceleration of the programme. He referred to the equitable basis but the current system is inequitable and I do not see it changing any time soon without greater voluntary and individual input. This should be along the same lines as the local property tax regime, whereby a relationship of trust is built up between the local authority and the individual and that we trust them on the basis of the commercial reality as it pertains to the business, what they can pay and what they should pay. Two different businesses may exist side-by-side on a street. In any town, there is dereliction and vacant properties, which is in part due to the valuation process, the length of time it takes and the archaic Victorian system of compiling rates. We need to examine the length of time valuation is taking and the concept of whether the valuation system is fit for purpose. It was designed under the Griffith system in the middle of the 19th century and has not changed since.

The State has introduced a form of taxation this year, the local property tax, which is based entirely on trust. We need to examine that model with commercial people and businesses. If 30% of properties are valued after four years, it will take another four years before the remainder is valued. In the meantime, retail space all over the country is crippled. The Bill does not take reality into consideration. For many local authorities, the compliance rate in 2009 was 84% and dropped to 76% in 2011. It does not take into consideration people's inability to pay. This must be examined so that we can say we are delivering, like a local property tax, a form of funding for local authorities. I do not see that happening in the current Bill. When the Bill finds its way to the Dáil, I ask that the Government be open to taking suggestions from ISME, the Small Firms Association, individual retailers and Deputies who have been inundated with people telling them about commercial reality and commercial rates.

Deputy Brian Hayes

I can confirm that the Government is open to looking at any system that will obtain the same amount of money. For the ratepayer, the net issue is the cost and for the local authority the net issue is how much money is obtained. We will examine any system that generates the same amount of income, if not more. I refer to the two amendments to the existing Bill tabled in the Seanad.

One provides for more self assessment as a pilot model. That goes towards what the Deputy is seeking. The second is outsourcing some of this work so we can get on with the task. The Deputy is correct. It is frustrating that it is taking so long.

It is important to point out that as a result of the revaluation process more companies and businesses have seen a reduction in their rates than have seen an increase. That is important if we can get the work done on the revaluation and if that trend continues. The reason that occurs is because it is the cost of the rental of one's property or group of properties relative to the actual cost throughout the local authority area and if companies can show that their rental costs have gone up relative to the average cost in the other parts of the local authority area, they will see a reduction in the rateable valuation. That is what happened as a result of the revaluations that have occurred so far.

The Government will examine any sensible amendment or proposal which would help to expedite this. However, the wider issue is that the money must be obtained, and it must be obtained in the fairest way possible. The best way to achieve that is to get these valuations over the line as soon as we can. When valuation officers come to a local authority area, they engage with the local businesses. They have information exchange days and questions and answers. They go through how the rate is struck in detail. That greatly helps in terms of revaluation.

I do not disagree with the Deputy. The retail sector is key. What we must do is gain confidence across the economy and a fundamental part of that is to keep rates down as far as possible. We must also ensure we get the funding somewhere. To do that there must be a fair system across the country. We are moving on this, because it has not been changed or amended over a period of many years. We are making progress, although I accept it is slow. As a result of that progress more businesses are seeing a reduction in their rateable valuation, and that is good news.

Acting Chairman (Deputy Thomas P. Broughan)

The next two Topical Issues are for the Minister for Health, but we do not have the Minister for Health.

Deputy Brian Hayes

He is not here.

Acting Chairman (Deputy Thomas P. Broughan)

It is unacceptable that the Minister for Health is not here. We are expected to argue for the abolition of Seanad Éireann yet Ministers are not prepared to attend a Topical Issue debate. That is absolutely unacceptable. It is something we must take up with the Ceann Comhairle and with the House. I will suspend the sitting for five minutes to get the Minister for Health.

Sitting suspended at 4.13 p.m. and resumed at 4.18 p.m.

Nursing Home Services

Acting Chairman (Deputy Thomas P. Broughan)

I expected to have the Minister for Health here in view of recent discussions we had on the Order of Business and elsewhere. However, I thank the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Brian Hayes, for being prepared to respond to these debates. I call Deputy Eamonn Maloney.

Deputy Eamonn Maloney

This is about the transformation that is taking place in nursing homes in Ireland. We have quite a few and most of them are good. Unfortunately, however, as we discovered from the excellent RTE programme, some of them are not so good, in terms of regulations, the standard of care and so forth. This has received coverage both outside and inside this House.

All Members, as legislators and people who care about these issues want the best possible standards. We certainly want regulation because lack of regulation led to some of the problems we have discussed here in the past. The body that represents the nursing homes in Ireland, Nursing Homes Ireland, NHI, has made a very simple request, and I have no difficulty with it in principle. I support the efforts the Department and the Minister and Ministers of State have made through their work with the HSE and the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, to introduce regulations. I strongly support that. However, Nursing Homes Ireland has said that the timeframe is rather limited for some of the changes in these homes, especially the physical changes, and it is asking for a forum where all interested parties can discuss these matters. That is the request.

Minister of State at the Department of Finance (Deputy Brian Hayes)

Taking 2012 as the base year, a budget of almost €1 billion in financial support was provided to more than 22,000 people in nursing homes.

For 2013 the HSE's national service plan sets a target of 22,700 people to be in receipt of financial support towards the cost of long-term nursing home care by the end of 2013.

It is quite clear that nursing homes are an important resource in the range of care services available to older people and my Department recognises the valuable contribution the private nursing homes sector makes. I acknowledge that the sector plays a key role in meeting the long-term residential care needs of a great many older people. It is with this in mind that the sector is already an important participant in the ongoing consultation with all stakeholders and the public in general. This is already a standard feature of the Department's approach across policy areas, including services for older people. For example, during 2012 extensive public consultation was carried out as part of the development of the national dementia strategy.

When the nursing homes support scheme commenced in October 2009, a commitment was made that it would be reviewed after three years. The reason for allowing this period to elapse is to ensure trends and statistics will be available in order to inform the work done. The terms of reference for the review of the scheme include an examination of the overall cost of long-term residential care in public and private nursing homes and the effectiveness of the current methods of negotiating or setting prices. There has been extensive public consultation on this process and a summary report on the submissions received is available on the Department's website. Work will continue on the review in the coming months with a view to completion by the end of this year or early next year.

The Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, and his colleagues, the Ministers of State, Deputies Kathleen Lynch and Alex White, together with departmental officials, regularly meet stakeholders to discuss policies, services and developments. Officials recently met Nursing Homes Ireland, from which they are always happy to receive suggestions and other inputs. Officials have recently met representatives of the private home care providers.

Deputy Eamonn Maloney's main request was for reform in order that people's views might be properly appreciated and assessed. If what I have outlined is the case, as I presume it is, that has happened. If an additional working group needs to be established before the end of this year or early next year, I presume the Minister will have no difficulty in that regard, particularly given that there has been much discussion thus far. I will ensure he is aware of the Deputy's request and respond specifically to him on the net issue.

Deputy Eamonn Maloney

The dialogue between the Department and the nursing homes' representatives has been very useful. I acknowledge this because they have done so. The traditional nursing home sector has existed pretty much without regulation for too long. Who is to blame is a separate issue, but we all turned away at various times when we should have been more vigilant. Unfortunately, it was sometimes the media that took the lead, not politicians. The issue I raise pertains to a classic case in that regard. We were essentially led into this and are being requested to do something that should have been done years ago. As I stated and as others stated across parties, we need to regulate the sector.

I will not address all facets of the debate as it would take too long to do so. I am delighted to hear the Minister is open to continuing the discussions. That in itself is good, but we should have an open mind in order that all stakeholders, including those who work in nursing homes, will have an input. I would appreciate it if the Minister of State passed this matter on to the Minister.

Deputy Brian Hayes

Members of Nursing Homes Ireland, those who work within the sector and, crucially, those in receipt of services desire reform. We must find a forum for older persons who use the service in order that their views may be taken on board in developing standards. The Minister is anxious to do this.

Regulation is important. If we have learned anything from the extensive revelations in regard to some aspects of Irish life, it is the importance of keeping a very close eye on exactly what is occurring. It is the same in this sector as in others. The Minister is open to the proposal. I will make sure that he is aware of the net issue the Deputy is raising.

Mental Health Services Provision

Deputy Denis Naughten

I echo the comments of the Acting Chairman, Deputy Thomas P. Broughan. I raised this issue three weeks ago as a parliamentary question and I am still awaiting a reply. I have requested a Topical Issue debate on five occasions in the interim. However, none of the three Ministers believed it was worthwhile to come here to address the crisis in the acute psychiatric unit in Roscommon County Hospital. It requires urgent and immediate action by the Department of Health.

The crisis has its origin in a decision made last August. At the time I expressed my serious concerns to senior management. I expressed my reservations again in April. On both occasions I was assured that there were adequate provisions in place to cater for all patients and ensure the safety of patients, staff and the community at large. Despite these assurances, two families have gone public in the past two weeks with a different perspective. The family of a 38 year old mother who died following a tragic incident in the acute psychiatric unit has called for a public inquiry into the circumstances surrounding her death. The family of a second patient has raised another matter. The patient was seriously assaulted by an outpatient who was subsequently allowed to be in close proximity to the innocent victim owing to the unavailability of appropriate alternative accommodation. During the same period two female nursing staff were seriously assaulted. To compound this, in recent months An Garda Síochána has been called on a number of occasions to support staff at the unit.

I am deeply concerned by the range of reports I have received on the capacity of the facility to cater for existing demand and the ongoing needs of the community it serves. There is no doubt that, from senior management down, the current staffing level in the psychiatric service in County Roscommon is grossly inadequate to deal with the existing caseload of the acute unit. As a direct result, management has redeployed staff from the community and day services to try to assist with the operation of the unit. This is leaving service users without day services and vital community supports, thereby putting even further pressure on the acute psychiatric services locally.

Two steps are required urgently. First, additional staff must be allocated to the psychiatric service in County Roscommon in the light of the fact that there has been a disproportionate loss of staff as a result of retirements. Second, long-term involuntary patients should not be accommodated in an acute psychiatric unit. Steps must be taken to transfer such patients to more appropriate facilities as a matter of urgency.

Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

For years it has been correctly said Governments do not give a damn about people with a mental illness. Eighteen or 19 months ago the Technical Group tabled a Private Members’ motion on the subject in which it outlined its concerns and what it would like to see done. We did not push the matter to a vote because we did not want to turn it into a political football. It is way too serious for that. We said we would trust the Minister of State to do her job.

Yesterday, at a meeting of the Joint Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions, the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, was present to talk about suicide awareness and what we could do about having a suicide prevention strategy.

She said "[I]t is essential that when people reach out for that help, it is available to them." She also said that the environment should be enabling and not disabling, and that all we can do is to ensure people will know what they need to do if they get in trouble.

What was going on was outlined to the Minister of State yesterday. I imagine she is well aware of it. I was told I would get some answers. This week I tabled Topical Issues on Tuesday and Wednesday, which were refused. Obviously it is not important enough that our psychiatric hospital is in dire trouble. Today the matter was selected. One of the Ministers who should care has not even bothered to turn up. What has happened today is sick and twisted.

There is a public meeting in Roscommon today to discuss what we will do. The message Deputy Naughten and I will have to bring back is that no one seems to give a damn. We hear rubbish to the effect that if someone had a broken leg he or she would be taken care of. I agree. A mental health problem should be treated as equally important. It is quite clear that is not happening. It is not good enough - with respect to the Minister of State, Deputy Hayes, who is an expert on other issues but knows nothing about this - that he has been brought in here. It is an insult.

Deputy Brian Hayes

I apologise for the fact that the Minister of State, Deputy Lynch, is not able to be here today. She is in Brussels. As Deputies Flanagan and Naughten know, the selection of Topical Issues is exclusively a matter for the Office of the Ceann Comhairle. The Minister of State regrets that she is not here because she would have been more than happy to respond to this debate.

Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

She was here yesterday and on Tuesday.

Deputy Brian Hayes

She does not select Topical Issues, and the Deputy knows that. In fairness to her, she is not in the country today. She is representing the Government in Brussels. On her behalf I thank both Deputies for raising this issue. I understand the sensitivity of this matter in County Roscommon.

Addressing the generally accepted historical deficiencies in capital and non-capital aspects of our mental health services remains a priority for, I hope, every Government. This has been reflected in our programme for Government commitments, with some €70 million provided this year and last year for a range of new posts and other specific initiatives relating to mental health and suicide prevention. Notwithstanding progress on addressing the overall financial pressures still facing the country, and the demands being placed on all areas of our care system, the mental health budget increased from €711 million in 2012 to €733 million this year. The HSE service plan indicates that Galway-Roscommon local health office will receive in the region of €69 million for mental health services in 2013.

The Deputies will appreciate that the HSE has statutory and operational responsibility for the planning and delivery of services at local level, including in County Roscommon. Community and inpatient services are provided in Roscommon and are deemed to be a single entity in the context of the Galway-Roscommon local health office area. Services include outpatient clinics in various towns in County Roscommon, augmented by community mental health nurses who visit clients in their homes. Notwithstanding the challenges presented by the need to reform our health services overall, including mental health services, the objectives of change will be undertaken while maintaining safety and quality throughout all of our health services.

With regard to the acute psychiatric unit in Roscommon, the HSE has indicated that it has regular high activity levels due to the needs of clients and the nature and complexities of their illnesses. Unfortunately, there have been recent incidents at the inpatient unit, but these were not due to staffing shortages. At weekends the full complement of nursing staff and senior managers are on duty and a consultant psychiatrist and medical staff are available on call throughout the weekend. Patients who require treatment are assessed and evaluated by the nursing and medical team. This is normal practice. Over recent times there have been staff requirements and resignations, as mentioned by Deputy Naughten, and not all of the staff who left can be replaced owing to the moratorium on recruitment. As a result, staffing levels are reviewed on a daily basis and members of staff can be relocated according to the needs of the service. There have also been occasions on which staff are required urgently elsewhere and redeployment occurs.

In the context of the issue raised, the HSE is seeking to redeploy nurse management in Galway-Roscommon to provide enhanced management and leadership as required in mental health provision. The House can be assured that the Government is very focused on developing mental health services, not only in Counties Galway and Roscommon but nationwide, in line with A Vision for Change. The Department of Health will continue to liaise closely with the HSE on the specific issues raised.

Deputy Denis Naughten

I am extremely disappointed with the response I have received from the Minister of State. I accept the Minister of State, Deputy Lynch, is away, but there are two other Ministers in the Department. This is a serious issue. The redeployment of management is not the issue. We need nursing staff in the acute psychiatric unit now. That message is coming from everyone who is dealing with the service. We need to ensure that long-term involuntary patients in the acute unit are put into more appropriate settings. What is happening in the acute unit in Roscommon is akin to a situation in which an older person who requires a nursing home bed is taking up an intensive care bed in a tertiary treatment hospital. It is unacceptable and cannot continue. We need immediate action from one of the three Ministers and Ministers of State on this issue today.

Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

I heard A Vision for Change mentioned. I love the idea that people can be treated in the community and are not stuck unnecessarily in large units. However, that is not happening, and there is no point in trying to cod people into thinking it is. In fact, the opposite is happening. In order to deal with the shortage of staff in the hospital services, staff are being taken from community care, which does not make a lot of sense. People who could have dealt with their issues in the community no longer have services available to them and are less likely to use them. As a result, they are more likely to become increasingly mentally ill and to need the unit in Roscommon.

The Government can say what it wants but it does not change reality. It is not implementing A Vision for Change or being fair to people in the psychiatric hospital. They are people who are at their most vulnerable. Families have contacted me and told me they are terrified to send mentally ill members of their families in that direction because they feel they would be safer at home, unsafe as that is.

Instead of turning up at runs in aid of Pieta House at 4 a.m., as many Government Deputies did as well as Deputy Naughten and me, we need to get more serious about this. The Government can cry about it when it is too late, but it should do something before it is too late. It is not on. We are going back to the equivalent of Bedlam and lunatic asylums with the policies of the Government. I thought we had moved on but we have not.

Deputy Brian Hayes

A number of serious issues have been raised in this debate, especially in the remarks of Deputy Naughten. One is the question of the staffing component in the psychiatric unit in Roscommon. I will direct the HSE to respond to him and Deputy Flanagan on that issue. The official position is that the complement is there, despite the fact, as he rightly points out, that there has been a significant increase in the number of people who have left the service. There is an attempt to relocate people who have some knowledge and expertise in this area. I will ask the HSE to reply to the Deputies directly on the appropriateness of having long-term patients within the setting.

That is a problem right across the system, as the Deputy knows. I will ask HSE management to reply to him on that issue also. The question of appropriate settings, particularly in the case of psychiatric units, is very important. We are seeking to minimise the difficulty for people and to have an environment in which patients and their families can have confidence.

Despite the budgetary difficulties faced by every Department, the information available to me indicates that 21 new posts are currently advertised. These additional staff will have expertise in the psychiatry of later life, suicide prevention, community mental health, self-harm and liaison psychiatry. These are the types of professional we need as part and parcel of the service. The additional personnel are being recruited as a result of the additional funding the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, has succeeded in securing in the past 12 months. In circumstances where budgets are being cut across the board, this is one of the few areas where funding has been extended. By allocating these additional moneys, doing things differently, relocating personnel and managing the service in a more effective way, I hope we can get to a better position in a timely and transparent way. I accept that there are issues which must be addressed and will instruct the Health Service Executive to reply directly to the Deputies in that regard.