Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am extremely disappointed with the response I have received from the Minister of State. I accept the Minister of State, Deputy Lynch, is away, but there are two other Ministers in the Department. This is a serious issue. The redeployment of management is not the issue. We need nursing staff in the acute psychiatric unit now. That message is coming from everyone who is dealing with the service. We need to ensure that long-term involuntary patients in the acute unit are put into more appropriate settings. What is happening in the acute unit in Roscommon is akin to a situation in which an older person who requires a nursing home bed is taking up an intensive care bed in a tertiary treatment hospital. It is unacceptable and cannot continue. We need immediate action from one of the three Ministers and Ministers of State on this issue today.

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