Mental Health Services.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 April 2004

Tuesday, 27 April 2004

Questions (555, 556, 557)

Emmet Stagg

Question:

614 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the ERHA has spent sizeable funds on the adoption of Clonee House which is located near Newbridge, County Kildare, for use as a high support hostel for Kildare-Meath-Wicklow mental health service and that the hostel would accommodate 14 patients who presently are accommodated in acute psychiatric beds at a cost of €100,000 per bed per year; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that the provision of the required nursing staff of 11 nurses would not alone allow the hostel to open but would provide savings of nearly €1 million per year; if he will make inquiries with the Board with a view to providing appropriate accommodation for the patients with an attendant saving of €1 million; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11977/04]

Emmet Stagg

Question:

615 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Kildare-west Wicklow mental health service has only one third of the average number of beds that other mental health areas have; if the ERHA will allocate its funds, capital and current, in order to ensure that there is an equitable level of service throughout the region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11978/04]

Emmet Stagg

Question:

616 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that expenditure on the Kildare-west Wicklow mental health service is €31 per head of population compared to the national average of €114 and that within the ERHA the Kildare-west Wicklow mental health service has the lowest level of funding for its services; the reason this is so; if the ERHA will allocate funds to the various mental health authorities on an equitablebasis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11979/04]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Mr. T. O’Malley)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 614 to 616, inclusive, together.

Responsibility for the provision of services referred to by the Deputy rests with the Eastern Regional Health Authority. My Department has therefore asked the regional chief executive to investigate the matters raised by the Deputy and reply to him directly.