Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to touch on the issue of younger people, that is, those under the age of 65, who are in nursing home environments. I have heard Dr. McLellan outlining earlier in the meeting that somewhere in the region of 1,300 people in that age bracket are accommodated in nursing homes. It was broken down in discourse that some were appropriately accommodated and others were inappropriately accommodated. It is inappropriate for anyone below 65 to be in a nursing home environment and it is injurious to their ongoing mental health needs.

I mention one case in particular which is quite public and has been well flagged in the media and this lady consents to her story being told. The case in question is that of Jennifer Hynes in County Clare. She is only about 18 months older than me and she finds herself in Mowlam Healthcare's Ennis Nursing Home. Ennis Nursing Home is a fine nursing home but it is not fine for her needs. The Minister of State at the Department of Health with responsibility for disability, Deputy Rabbitte, has been engaging and helpful in dealing with Jennifer's advocate and in dealing specifically with this case because it is almost a test case in the country.

The problem as I see it in removing someone from a nursing home environment and putting him or her into a more appropriate setting is that the process seems to be HSE-led rather than building around the needs of the individual. What other barriers does the Department see to unlocking all of this? The fit for each of these 1,300 people has to be bespoke. Their needs are separate, apart and specific. Problems are already showing up in this test case, despite the best efforts of the Minister of State and the staff around her and within the HSE. There has been a huge effort that we appreciate but the process is about what can be provided rather than being centred around Jennifer's needs. Are there other barriers that Dr. McLellan can identify that need to be overcome?