Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

My matter is a call for the Health Service Executive to initiate an immediate investigation into the reasons a custom built, modern, six unit facility at St. Vincent's residential centre, Lisnagry, County Limerick, at a cost of €4.25 million, has not been fully opened, to examine the reason half of the units have yet to be properly staffed over two years since the unit was completed at a cost of €4.25 million and, furthermore, to initiate appropriate, immediate steps to have the facility fully and properly staffed as a matter of urgency.

The facts surrounding this matter are frustrating and disturbing. They are frustrating because it has been impossible to get answers to the questions as to why this situation has arisen in St. Vincent's in Lisnagry, Limerick. They are disturbing because the financial planning for this unit appears to have been non-existent.

The history behind what has happened is that in January 2004, a state-of-the-art, six unit residential complex, custom built to cater for young Limerick people with moderate to severe intellectual disability, was completed at the Daughters of Charity, St. Vincent's, Lisnagry, at a cost of €4.25 million. Over two years later, 50% of that unit remains closed. Tonight, the Health Service Executive, stands indicted for failing to provide the staff and properly operate and commission this vital facility for young people in Limerick.

I want to find out exactly how this situation could have arisen and to get definite answers that this will not be allowed to continue. The children who should have been accommodated in this modern facility are tonight languishing in substandard facilities, cared for by the dedicated Daughters of Charity staff who look out the window and only yards away see a state of the art modern facility custom built to cater for their challenging needs. They ask how this could have arisen in an era of unprecedented resources. Many of the boys with challenging needs are currently accommodated in a larger nearby facility which is totally unsuited for their needs while this new, modern, custom built facility is not fully opened right beside them. This flagship project, backed by the best available expertise, is regrettably deteriorating before our eyes for want of a commitment from the HSE to properly commission, staff and finance it.

Mental institutions here have been closed because the system of care was repressive. Locked wards have no place in the treatment of persons with learning disabilities. The Daughters of Charity at St. Vincent's in Limerick have developed an effective, holistic treatment for their patients and for young people. Nurse members of the Daughters of Charity are professionally trained to administer this new holistic approach but, unfortunately, a new facility remains unopened. That raises serious questions as to the reason the development was given the go-ahead when proper funding for fully commissioning and staffing was not in place. No reasons have been given as to how this situation has arisen and no firm commitments are in place to fully open a unit which is so badly needed for young Limerick people. I hope my raising this matter will result in definite answers as to how this has arisen and a definite commitment that it will not continue.

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