Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

The work of the expert group on mental health policy has been completed and approved by the Government. It decided that the ten or 15 mental institutions around the country should be closed over the next five to seven years. The resources obtained should be transferred into the community and spent building a good and proper mental health service. This year we will spend approximately €800 million on mental health services but more resources will be required in order to develop the service within the community. The OPW is involved in all the property deals on behalf of the State. While issues may arise about its procurement policy for some other purpose, the State must realise the money to reinvest it in the service.

On the question of the availability of land, the Department of Health and Children has been one of the progressive Departments in handing over land to the State for the affordable housing initiative. Approximately 70 State-owned sites have been made available by a number of Departments to assist the affordable housing initiative. Approximately 1,100 of these houses have been completed. Approximately 2,000 will be built this year. Some of these involve land swaps so things can move more quickly. Others are going through the planning process.

More than €3 billion has been spent on social housing. Enormous sums of taxpayers' money is being spent on social housing. The recommendation of the expert group on mental health is to move these lands away from the old institutional arrangements and to develop quality community services for people suffering from mental illness.

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