Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)

I welcome the opportunity to deal with this matter. I am pleased the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Tim O'Malley, is also in attendance. My contribution will be somewhat low-key because of the sensitivity around this issue.

I am extremely concerned about the placing of a psychiatric hospital beside a prison. Such an approach may be beneficial from the point of view of management but it serves to stigmatise psychiatric illness. I notice the Minister of State is looking to the ceiling.

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