Mr. Martin Rogan:

As the Deputy said, these issues are found on inspection so they are taken as read. These are facilities that are open to the public to see. We are not talking about second-class citizens. We are talking about Irish citizens who have needs and vulnerabilities and often have issues with their sense of personal dignity. For them to go into a setting that is not clean or adequately maintained is simply not good enough. The Mental Health Commission not only inspects but also licenses approved centres and it has a responsibility to make sure these standards are adhered to and held to the highest level. With regard to the unit in Waterford, every unit has a licence for a number of beds and it cannot go beyond that number. It is then a question of mobilising additional resources, either in the private sector or in surrounding services, when there are additional pressures. These are fundamental issues and it is extraordinarily difficult to promote a person's dignity and independence in a setting that is not up to standard.