Michael Harty (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Before calling Deputy Durkan, I wish to make a comment. The biggest change in psychiatric services over the past 30 or 40 years has been the closure of our institutions. That was a dramatic change. Has there been a satisfactory progressive development of replacement services?

Are they improving year on year and is there a momentum developing to deliver the community services that are absolutely necessary to replace those institutions? My memory of 30 to 40 years ago is of a psychiatric nurse being a person who turned up in a white coat to bring somebody for admission. That is now a thing of the past and we have wonderful community psychiatric services. Is there a progressive realisation of the development of those services?