Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing us to raise the important matter of the planned closure of the psychiatric unit at St. Michael's psychiatric unit, Clonmel. This matter, the subject of much debate over the past several years, is a great concern to the people of Clonmel and south Tipperary, the facility's patients, their families, staff and everyone else associated with it. The Minister of State is aware of these concerns and has dealt with them head on.

The reality, however, is that admissions to the facility will stop on 1 March 2012. The Minister of State, and her predecessor, gave the commitment that no closure would take place until new alternative community-based facilities were on the ground. The concern is these facilities are still not in place. From the note I have been supplied, there are also staff shortages of clinical psychologists, social workers and occupational therapists in the area, another grave concern. Only some weeks ago, I, along with Deputy Mattie McGrath, travelled with the Minister of State to Wexford to visit a community-based mental health facility with which people there were very satisfied. People in south Tipperary do not understand similar facilities will be in place in the area because they have not seen them rolled out yet.

I implore the Minister of State to defer the decision to close the St. Michael's unit until all replacement facilities are in place. Then people will be in a better position to make a judgment on these changes.

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