Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. On 1 October 2003, the Western Health Board decided to discontinue and close the residential drug addiction and alcoholic centre associated with St. Brigid's Hospital in Ballinasloe. This service was established as far back as 1982. Since then it has served the wider catchment area of the eastern portion of the Western Health Board, in east Galway and adjoining areas. The health board's decision came as a severe blow to the many people who had worked there and built up the service as well as to the patients who had benefited enormously over the years and who had been rehabilitated through the centre's professionalism. Given that St. Brigid's Hospital is currently being replaced and is expected to be sold, probably in the near future, I ask that the Department provide funding from the resources made available following the sale of the hospital and its adjoining property to construct a purpose-built unit adjacent to or within the complex of Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe. This will provide a continuation of services.

It is unfair that those who are piloting the project and insisting on the closure of the facility at St. Brigid's Hospital have misrepresented the situation. Mistruths have emanated from them with regard to the intake of the in-patient service at the centre. It is not true to say there have been no referrals there for the last couple of months, with the result that there is no need for an in-patient service. That is unfair to those who have worked at the centre. The figures for the period 1 October 2001 to 30 September 2002 show a total intake of 92 people, 58 male and 34 female. Some 70 were first referrals, 46 male and 24 female.

Some would argue that the best approach is to use a community service on an out-patient basis because of the numbers of counsellors and other support staff that would be available in the community at large, in Portumna, Loughrea, Mountbellew and the surrounding areas as well as in Ballinasloe. However, out-patient care does not always suit everyone who may wish to avail of the professional services on offer. In-patient care is far more appropriate because of the particular background, family circumstances and a range of other social and economic factors that might be pressing on a particular patient. The model at this centre over the years is similar the one currently available in St. John of God's and the Rutland Centre.

If the service continues to remain closed many people will be forced into private accommodation which they cannot afford. The centre at Ballinasloe was unique in that it catered for people from a wide variety of backgrounds, including those with a high academic achievement as well as the more socially disadvantaged. Many private institutions would not necessarily have such a mix.

The closure of the facility came as a shock to those who had benefited from the centre and who found they now had to avail of the community service. Many of those who were in-patients have abandoned the service, which is regrettable.