Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for raising this very important issue today. On Deputy O'Rourke's comments, I will check out the situation with the suicide resource officer post vacancy since 2020, and I will revert back to the Deputy on that. I do not have any detail on that today.

In relation to Meath mental health services, the HSE provides a wide range of services for adults, children and adolescents, and older people. These services are provided in various locations and settings and include community outpatient services provided by community mental health multidisciplinary teams, and approved centres and day centres, including Navan mental health day centre.

In 2020, use of the Navan mental health day hospital was required by Navan general hospital for Covid-19 purposes. This requirement continued longer than expected, as the pandemic wore on, leaving Meath mental health services without a day hospital. A longer-term solution was identified, which saw the day hospital move into a block-build construction extension to Our Lady's Hospital, Navan. This opened in October 2021 in line with Covid-19 restrictions and was gradually returning to full capacity with face-to-face therapies and assessments being carried out. Unfortunately, on 27 December, a fire broke out in an adjoining area to the day hospital, which rendered the building unsafe for use. Remedial works for the fire damage have taken considerable time to address and full safety clearance remains outstanding, though I am assured by the HSE that the clearance is imminent and the day hospital will reopen as soon as possible.

I note that patients of Meath mental health services continue to receive support and intervention from their local community mental health team. Also available are our online and telehealth services, many of which are available 24-7. Yourmentalhealth.ieprovides an excellent information service and signposts to numerous NGO partners who provide specialist help on behalf of the HSE.

It is very disappointing that the centre has been closed, obviously because of Covid, and when it did manage to relocate and the service was up and running that this fire could have happened. There is more detail in the remainder of the script but as I understand that the Leas-Cheann Comhairle is under pressure for time, I will not read it into the record.

On bed capacity, we are currently carrying out a review of bed capacity throughout the whole country. Some 25% of our bed capacity is sourced from the private sector. This is never included in the figures that are used, which only show the public bed capacity. When this review is finalised it will provide great data for me to be able to see all over the country where there are issues.

See this speech in context