Martin Daly (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)

I accept that there have been improvements. I am not saying that there have not been massive improvements in past 20 years. As I am short on time, I wish to move on.

On mental services, there were 80 community step-down beds in the community in County Roscommon in 2016 for people who had long-term mental health issues and additional social and addiction issues. All of those beds have gone. It was decided that there was to be a change in policy. Those people were to go into local authority housing and be supported by wraparound services. On the election campaign, I met two of those unfortunate citizens going around and literally being fed at the local supermarket free of charge because the manager felt sorry for them. They could not manage their money and cannot manage their lives. What happens to people in those situations? Some of them end up in the acute services unit in Roscommon University Hospital, with eight of its 24 acute beds taken up by people who should have been in the community but there was no appropriate setting for them. The level is 25% now. We know from international experience what happens to people who have chronic mental issues associated with social and addiction issues. They end up in three places. They end up in our health service in a community setting, homeless or in prison. Why has there been no replacement of those community, supported homes in County Roscommon?