Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish to ask the Taoiseach about the mental health care and recovery centre in Bantry. The Mental Health Commission has recommended reducing the bed capacity at this facility from 18 beds down to 11. I ask Government to reject absolutely this recommendation. The report and request are fundamentally flawed. It does not take into account the geographic nature of west Cork and fails to mention one of the biggest settlements in the area, which is Castletownbere. At this time, we should be investing more in mental health. We should be increasing bed capacity in our mental health facilities, not decreasing it. I ask the Government to do whatever it takes to reject the suggestion by the Mental Health Commission to reduce beds.

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