Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

If I may make a quick comment on a matter I did not refer to earlier, decongregation is the flavour of the era in which we live but I would warn that the alternatives are expensive and require supervision equal to that which exists in institutions. As it stands, there is evidence to suggest that those who were institutionalised in the past may well be sleeping work or on the homeless list at the present time. We are not marrying the two elements of thought to the extent that we should. It is an urgent and pressing issue that is becoming more serious with the passage of each day. I was a member of the health board when decongregation took place in places such as Grangegorman. Unfortunately, it was good in theory but the necessary back-up services were not put in place, and the evidence is there to this day. That is fact. I say that for the benefit of all.