John Kelly (Labour) | Oireachtas source

The major problem is the roll-out of the community mental health teams. I spoke to the Minister last week on the appointment of 78 new staff. The HSE gave me documentation that shows that not even 44 appointments have been made. During the period of the threatened closure of the accident and emergency unit in Roscommon I, as the then mayor of Roscommon, contacted Professor Drumm, the then CEO of the HSE, about a proposal to keep the accident and emergency unit open for six months in tandem with the advance paramedic teams so that we could prove to the people of Roscommon that the advance paramedic teams would work. He agreed to do it, but things changed and Professor Drumm moved on. We know that the Taoiseach came to County Roscommon.

I am not in favour of the institutionalisation of people with mental health difficulties. I worked in a psychiatric hospital for a number of years in the 1980s. My request to the Minister is not to close St. Brigid's unit in Ballinasloe until the community mental health teams are fully in place and working for a period in tandem with St. Brigid's unit and that we can prove that the new provisions work to the satisfaction of the service users. I am asking the Minister to look after the nurses who have been asked for expressions of interest in relocating in Galway or Roscommon. If one is taking the nurses out of the system, one is not acknowledging that we have a problem with mental health in that region. I cannot see a reason to take nurses from the area if we are transferring patients to the community.

I am seeking a positive response on this suggestion from the Minister, however without such positive action I will not support the Government motion.