Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

All I can do is repeat what I said to the Deputy. I do not manage or micro-manage those operations at that level, even within my own area of responsibility. It has nothing to do with whether the Minister, Deputy Simon Harris, or any Minister of State is here. In my area, I do not micro-manage the system as suggested. The HSE is in place to deliver the services. It is an operational matter. Some of the questions the Deputy has asked are clearly related to operational matters. There are generic headline percentages that would be accommodated for any new development. Of course staffing would be accounted for. I cannot tell the Deputy how many staff will be required for each of the new 189 beds. I cannot give that kind of detail. I hope that is acceptable to the committee.

Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony mentioned mental health and the great work of organisations such as Pieta House. To go back to the answer I gave to Deputy Kelleher about mental health, I believe the issues and challenges are similar across the country. Pieta House does wonderful work but it is funded by my Department, as is any such organisation. One of the issues I referred to a number of times is that the organisations do wonderful work but I am concerned that there is a challenge when somebody with a mental health issue in west Cork or anywhere else wonders whether he should go to Pieta House, Jigsaw, Lisheens House in my constituency, the Samaritans or ChildLine. On one's best day, it would be a challenge. When one has a mental health issue and is feeling down when trying to figure out where to go, it is particularly challenging. One of the objectives I have set is to ask the Department to lead with the HSE to put in place one single telephone number that people with a mental health issue can dial. The number would be universal. One would be assigned to the most appropriate service.