Dr. John Hillery:

It is important I correct the record first in that I was not asking for another regulator, I was asking that the one regulator we have for mental health services would be given the power to regulate all mental health services, both inpatient and in the community, so that we can ensure there are even standards throughout the country for everyone, be it in west Clare where I come from, Kerry, where the Deputy comes from, or in Dublin. That is what I was looking for, not another regulator. We do not regulate residential places for people with intellectual disability, but I suppose having worked for 30 years as a psychiatrist with people with intellectual disability, the changes I have been able to make in the past ten years have been due to people being moved to smaller settings. I agree it should be in their own neighbourhood. They should not be moved across the country. They need to be near their families. I have seen decongregation lead to the ability to take people off the serious medications we discussed earlier because they are happier in a smaller area and a small home. I agree also it needs to be in their own community. That is probably all I have to say.