Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Improving all aspects of mental health service delivery is a priority for me and that is what I try to do when I secure as much funding as possible, particularly for the recruitment and retention of staff. As we all know, the delivery of mental health services depends on the staff we have. Deputy Stanton referred to the fact that east Cork will be left without a facility like Owenacurra. The national implementation and monitoring committee is currently undertaking a bed capacity review for mental health beds across the whole country. It is looking at acute and community services, including the community houses to which I referred, to determine how we are fixed in that regard. It is also looking at forensic mental health services in the context of our prisons and the facility at Portrane.

A commitment has been given by the HSE that mental health support services will always be provided on the Owenacurra site, which is massive. We know that the building is not fit for purpose and that the residents have to leave. As Minister of State with responsibility for mental health and older people, what I do not want is that the only possibility for people is ending up in a long-term residential care facility. That is what I do not want. I want people to have the supports they need. There will be a range of people who want to live in supported housing with the correct wraparound supports. That does not mean that they will have somebody 24-7 but that they will have the correct wraparound supports, as determined by the individual. There are people living like that within the community.

Deputy Stanton asked about a 24-hour staffed service which is only available in Cork and Dublin through mental health crisis resolution teams. There are only two such teams in the whole country. I can only assume that is what Deputy Stanton is referring to, but I will check that out and revert back to the Deputy.

I want to make sure that the residents of Owenacurra have the best possible outcome.

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