Departmental Properties.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 July 2008

Tuesday, 1 July 2008

Questions (215)

Tom Hayes

Question:

283 Deputy Tom Hayes asked the Minister for Health and Children the psychiatric institutions sold to fund the A Vision for Change mental health policy; the land sold for these purposes; the sales of land and institutions which had the money from the sale paid directly to the Department of Finance; the number of these whose money went directly to the Department of Finance that have been reimbursed back to the Health Service Executive; the number of these reimbursements; and the amount ring-fenced for the policies outlined in A Vision for Change. [25847/08]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Deputy John Moloney)

‘A Vision for Change', the Report of the Expert Group on Mental Health Policy has been accepted by Government as the basis for the future development of our mental health services. The Report recommends inter alia that a plan to bring about the closure of all psychiatric hospitals should be drawn up and implemented, and that the resources released by these closures should be protected for reinvestment in the mental health service. It is understood that the Health Service Executive (HSE) has disposed of a small number of assets since the launch of the Report in January 2006.

As the HSE has primary responsibility for implementing this recommendation, the Executive is the appropriate body to consider the particular issues raised by the Deputy. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have the matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.