Mary Henry (Independent)

I welcome the Minister of State and am delighted that his maiden speech to the House is on this topic. I noticed his interest when he spoke yesterday on the cross-Border report encouraging a positive attitude towards mental health. I am sure that the Minister of State will put a great deal of work into this area while in his current position.

I thank the Leader of the House for organising this debate. This is the first time there has been a debate on the report of the Inspector of Mental Hospitals in Government time. As the reports must be presented before the Houses of the Oireachtas under the 1945 Act, that is pretty shocking. None of the reports were debated until I was able to get that to happen from 1996 on. Those debates have made the area of mental health a more important one. I know that the Leader of the House will ensure that the reports are given proper prominence. This may be the last report of the Inspector of Mental Hospitals because the new legislation may bring a report of the inspector of mental services by next year. However, I would not bank on that as matters such as this can go slowly.

Professor Dermot Walsh and his assistant, Dr. Liam Hanniffy, should be particularly thanked for the work they have put into these reports over the year. Compiling the report involves going announced and unannounced to mental hospitals and other institutions to look at conditions, and talking to staff and patients. They are to be applauded for what they have done.

There have been huge improvements in the mental health services in the last 18 years. The Department of Health and Children, the hospitals involved, the health boards, staff and the growing number of patient advocacy organisations all deserve praise. I am glad the Department will give more money this year to advocacy organisations because, if public opinion is behind these groups, it is much easier for improvements to be made in health services.

I do not know what time the Minister has had to look at previous inspector's reports. They made for dreadfully dreary reading. I realise that there has been a huge decrease in the number of inmates in these hospitals. Most of the matters raised in the past related to filthy conditions, broken lavatories, lack of privacy for patients, lack of personalised clothes and name-tags and patients who did not know who was looking after them. There are virtually no complaints like that now. The lack of personalised clothing is now mentioned only in relation to St. Brendan's and St. Ita's.

Some areas should be particularly praised. Senator Feeney was right to talk about the fantastic improvements in Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal. Mayo is another county where unbelievable work has been done. Terrible things were written about St. Mary's in Castlebar until a few years ago but the inspector said that there was no need to make any recommendations for that institution as it was making such progress on its own.