Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Tuesday, 14 July 2020
Special Committee on Covid-19 Response
Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Mental Health Services (Resumed)
David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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I was not advocating that we close any unit. I am just asking the question. It is one of the powers the Mental Health Commission has. If things got so bad in some of them that it warranted closure, I am wondering why those powers were not used.
The main point I am making is that if Waterford is an example, it is not a great example because the services have not improved to my satisfaction. I would imagine that what Mr. Farrelly is saying is that it is a carrot-and-stick approach to some degree, and that he wants the HSE to solve the problems that he addresses. My point is that in regard to premises, staffing and cleanliness, time and again we are seeing problems and lack of individual care plans, and these are not being addressed. That is a fundamental problem for me, given the vulnerable people we are dealing with.