Tom Morrissey (Progressive Democrats)

I welcome the Minister of State. This is an issue for the Department of Health and Children regarding an eight bed child psychiatric unit in Hollystown. I understand there are some difficulties with its location. When they were dividing up the geographic lands for which the new area health boards would have responsibility some years ago, there was a question mark over whether the unit would be under the Northern Area Health Board or South Western Area Health Board.

Staff have contacted me about their concern that there is a decision to systematically close down this unit. If that were the case, it would reduce by half, from 16 to eight, the number of child psychiatric in-patient facilities in the Dublin 15 area. For that reason, I tabled this matter to bring it to the attention of the Minister. I hope the Minister of State can give us the up-to-date position on its status and the authority which will be looking after this, in both the short and long term.