Séamus Healy (Tipperary, Workers and Unemployed Action Group) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge the commitment and involvement of the Minister of State on this issue. He has met deputations on a number of occasions and has visited Clonmel to see the services. We have always acknowledged the policy in A Vision for Change which would transfer the majority of services on a priority basis to community services. We have never had an issue with that and have always supported it fully, but there has to be a complete and seamless service. That involves both the community and inpatient beds. We met members of HSE management again recently and they acknowledged that there are at least 20 fewer beds in the area than there should be and that Tipperary would have a priority case for those beds.

A decision needs to be made at ministerial level to reverse the wrong decision to close beds at St. Michael's unit and, instead, to put in place a small number of beds immediately.

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