James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The last issue is accommodation. Providing accommodation to patients in the mental health services was transferred a couple of years ago from the HSE to the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. In fact, when I was told that, I contacted one of the county councils and it was news to the housing section in that county council. People there had never received any information about it, and I do not believe they have since. Something I deal with almost weekly is the situation when a person is being discharged from an inpatient unit. He or she has been patched up and shown the front door. Often the person has other issues as well. The person may or may not have an addiction. The council will say that it cannot put the person into the usual emergency accommodation, which is often bed and breakfast accommodation and is not suitable. However, it has no other suitable accommodation. The person either ends up homeless and spirals back downwards or ends up in emergency accommodation, basically a room over a pub or the like which will not help the person either. Is there a plan for providing suitable accommodation for people with mental illness? There does not appear to be.