Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

I agree with Deputy Kenny that we must do everything possible to remove the stigma attached to mental illness. Much of what the Government has done in recent years in terms of the establishment of the mental health commission, increased investment in the area etc., was aimed at doing precisely that. The movement of people away from institutional care and into the community is part of that approach.

There will be no link between the proposed new prison and the Central Mental Hospital. I agree there should be no link. A group was established under the auspices of Indecon some time ago which included among its members the director of nursing, the manager and the medical director of the Central Mental Hospital. It unanimously recommended that a new stand-alone facility should be acquired for the hospital. Other than the fact they will share the same 150-acre site, the two facilities will have nothing in common.

It is not easy to get the type of land that is required for the facilities, close to the centre of Dublin. Everybody recognises that. We do not have enormous amounts of land at our disposal. There will be separate entrances and addresses and no link whatever. Although from time to time some people are moved from prison to the Central Mental Hospital, there is no other link in terms of either the management or operation of the two facilities.

The OPW acquired the site. I understand that other sites were examined and a number of parties expressed interest in their land being acquired. The OPW, I believe, made its selection on the basis of value. I do not have the details for Deputy Kenny as regards the precise negotiations, but I know that a number of other sites were examined. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, informed the Cabinet of that some time ago.

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