Ms Dervila Eyres:

In regard to Erkina House, the Mental Health Commission reported in 2018 that many of the 24-hour supervised residences for high support, were too big and in poor condition and had an institutional feel about them.

With that, we were examining our whole stock in terms of residential accommodation. Certainly, the report had noted three things in relation to the premises in Erkina House. These were that all residents needed to have access to single-room accommodation and they needed to have access to kitchen facilities, which were not available within that facility, and other adaptations to the house to bring it to a standard would be required.

When the Covid pandemic hit in 2019-2020, we moved to provide single-room accommodation, which was done, and also, I suppose, tried to look at the policy direction in terms of Sharing the Vision in 2020 which recommended that residents be supported to have secure meaningful employment opportunities that fostered hope, participation and a sense of a better and brighter future. In order for that to happen, we were looking to see where plans for replacements for some of our older stock could be found. Certainly, it was in consideration at that point.