Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 16 May 2018

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Future of Mental Health Care

Restructuring of Mental Health Services: HSE

1:30 pm

Mr. Jim Ryan:

No. It is part of the overall mental health budget but is separate from each of the nine CHO budgets. It is like a tenth CHO. It will be replaced by the new facility at Portrane in 2020, which is a significant new project requiring additional staffing. We will go from 93 or 94 beds up to 170, with additional specialties around CAMHS and forensic services and an intensive care rehabilitation unit. A project plan is in place and an external support organisation will work with us over the next 18 months or two years. It is a big piece of infrastructure but there will also be a significant change and transition programme for staff, patients and carers in the forensic service.