Hospital Beds Data

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 March 2018

Tuesday, 27 March 2018

Ceisteanna (555, 556, 557, 558)

Anne Rabbitte

Ceist:

555. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the capacity for special care beds in each of the special care units nationally (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14174/18]

Anne Rabbitte

Ceist:

556. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of young persons currently placed in special care (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14175/18]

Anne Rabbitte

Ceist:

557. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of young persons currently on a list for special care beds (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14176/18]

Anne Rabbitte

Ceist:

558. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to increase the number of beds available in special care (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14177/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs

I propose to take Questions Nos. 555 to 558, inclusive, together.

I have asked Tusla, the Child and Family Agency to provide the details requested by the Deputy and I  will forward  the information when it is to hand.

The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 42A

I refer to your Parliamentary Questions (14174/18, 14175/18, 14176/18 & 14177/18) of 27th March 2018, where you asked about the capacity for special care beds in each of the special care units nationally, the number of young persons currently placed in special care units, the number of young persons currently on a list for special care beds, and the Minister’s plans to increase the number of beds available in special care.

Please accept my apology for the delay in reverting to you on this matter.

I have now received information from Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, regarding the matters you raised.

The table below sets out the current capacity for special care beds in each of the special care units nationally.

Centre	Capacity	Current occupancy	Current number of young people resident	Reason for under-occupancy
Ballydowd	10 young people	5 young people	4 young people	The need to increase staffing numbers.
Coovagh House	4 young people	2 young people	2 young people *	To building works.
Crannog Nua	12 young people	4 young people	4 young people	The need to increase staffing numbers.
Gleann Alainn	4 young people	2 young people	1 young person	The need to increase staffing numbers.

*One other young person is assigned to Coovagh House under a High Court Order, but is currently resident in a psychiatric hospital. Following discharge from hospital, this young person will be moving to a different placement, which is not special care.

There are currently two young people on the list for a Special Care bed.

An extensive recruitment campaign is ongoing to increase capacity to 12 young people in Crannog Nua and 10 young people in Ballydowd.

In Coovagh House the building works have commenced recently and are due to finish in approximately twenty weeks. Capacity will then be restored.