Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Healy-Rae will appreciate that we have moved beyond the point where everybody might be institutionalised in these kinds of settings. That is not to decry the service given by the staff in settings over the years. There have been difficulties in some institutions, including one notable case in the West some time ago.

There are people are currently living in institutions like this who can benefit from moving back into their communities where services are provided for them. As the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, has pointed out, there are some places in Dublin where staff have moved with them. The change and quality of life is much better for those people.

I assure the Deputy that every one of the individuals in the institution has a caseworker. Nothing will be done without full consultation. As every public representative knows, when very good home care packages are provided, irrespective of the scale of challenge a person faces, it is better for people to be with their own families, in their own communities, and have services provided for them.

Some people have an extreme range of issues and some may find accommodation on the existing campus. As I said, there is no immediate or imminent closure of this institution. There will be proper, full and thorough consultation in the interests of each of the individuals concerned before any decision is made.

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