Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)

I thank Seanad Éireann and Senators Henry and Glynn who were responsible for this debate being held. I thank all Senators who contributed to a very mature discussion on the area of mental health and the work of the Mental Health Commission. I will endeavour to respond to as many points as possible in the time allowed.

Senator Browne made a good suggestion about a report-free year. Many reports are in train and they must be allowed proceed, but I agree with the Senator that more action is required rather than reports. Obviously, the action must be evidence-based and planning is required. Often there is a duplication of work and I would much prefer to see it centred. I have spoken to the suicide research group and I will be speaking to more people to ensure that research is carried out from a central base rather than being dissipated among groups around the country expending their energy and resources in the replication of work.

The Senator referred to Deputy Neville. The Senator may be correct that he got me on a bad day. We all have off days. I acknowledge the work Deputy Neville has done in the area of mental health and have no fear of contradiction in stating he has been a key spokesperson in this area. However, without seeking to start a discussion on the issue, I will repeat an earlier point about which I feel strongly, that the way forward is to discuss solutions rather than constantly repeating problems. This is not meant as a criticism of Deputy Neville or anyone else. The discussion today has been mature and most Senators have looked forward rather than backwards or blaming the Government. Mental health services are too important and the issue too sensitive to be politicised.

I understand the genuine concerns people have about the proposal to locate the new Central Mental Hospital in north county Dublin on a site adjacent to a new prison. A project team based in Dundrum did significant work on this issue and considered all the options. These were as follows: development of a new facility on a greenfield site in the greater Dublin area; development of a new facility on a greenfield site outside the greater Dublin area; refurbishment and upgrade of the existing facility to accommodate the service; partial new building of the hospital with retention and refurbishment of some of the existing building; transfer of the service to another existing facility; or no action. Every option was considered.

I visited the 150 acre site recently. While the proposal regarding the Central Mental Hospital has been agreed in principle, we must drive the process forward and a memorandum will, therefore, go before Cabinet. If it proceeds on the 150 acre site, it will be a separate entity from the proposed jail, with a separate entrance, road and address. It will remain the responsibility of the Department of Health and Children and will have no connection with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. A new governance structure has also been proposed for the Central Mental Hospital.

I have discussed the concerns raised with some of those who voiced them and explained what I am trying to do. In an ideal world, one would probably pick another site. However, any location selected for a new Central Mental Hospital would create difficulties and planning problems. We do not live in an ideal world and I must deal with the reality that we have an opportunity to have a new, forensic, state-of-the-art, psychiatric mental hospital in the next few years. It would be foolish of us to pass up such a possibility.

I will meet and listen to anybody who has real concerns. Stigma, which we have discussed, is often in people's minds. The new Central Mental Hospital will be a separate entity operated exclusively by the Department of Health and Children. I hope it will be a state-of-the-art facility.

Yesterday, I attended a meeting in Cork of psychiatric nurses who are leading management change in the psychiatric services. I was encouraged by the wonderful wisdom of the group and its appetite to drive forward psychiatric services. I hope the positive attitude I encountered will be replicated around the country. The message to emerge from the meeting was that psychiatric nurses have considerable potential to do much more in the area of mental illness. I challenged those present to contribute more because for many reasons psychiatric nurses have not achieved as much as they could have achieved. We have now embraced the concept of the multidisciplinary team, to which many Senators referred. These teams are not led by anyone and all members work together as equals. The wide range of expertise available when nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists and speech therapists work together will drive forward mental health services.

In response to the question as to whether I liaise with various groups, I do so constantly and attend many meetings. The other day, I attended a large meeting on advocacy which attracted 400 people. Thankfully, as many Senators noted, we are now speaking publicly about the good and bad aspects of our mental health services. This is an important development on which I compliment everybody concerned. Attracting 400 or 500 to a meeting to discuss mental illness is a major step forward. Dr. John Owens and Dr. Tony Bates also attended and all three of us contributed and listened to service users, one of the most important things one can do.

I thank Senator Glynn for his comments on the work being done. Senator Henry raised many issues, including the health tribunals. I agree with her comments on the unfortunate problems we have encountered in this regard. Funding to drive forward the tribunals has been available since last year. Unfortunately, due to the Government's ongoing dispute with the Medical Defence Union, consultant psychiatrists were advised by one of their representative bodies not to apply for inclusion on the panels. The Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, has appealed to psychiatrists to think again. I, too, appeal to them because, unfortunately, the most vulnerable people in society will be affected by their actions. I would welcome efforts by anyone with influence to persuade consultant psychiatrists to engage in the tribunals which cannot proceed unless they are actively involved in the process. I look forward to their participation as soon as possible.

I will speak to my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, about the Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002.

Senator Henry made a valid point on an issue of concern to me. As of this week, 80 children in Limerick had not secured a school place. Last year, Limerick experienced a particular problem when 17 schoolchildren failed to secure a place. The then Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Noel Dempsey, visited the city, called the principals of all secondary schools into a room and solved the problem following a day of discussions and negotiations. We were all under the impression the problem had been solved with the decision to allow the parents of every child transferring to second level in Limerick to list their five schools of choice but, lo and behold, it has arisen again and we now have 80 fantastic children unable to secure a school place. I agree with the Senator that this sends out all the wrong messages to the children in question and their families at this particularly sensitive time in their lives. I have already discussed the matter with the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin. I hope it will be resolved soon and that sanity will prevail.

Senator Henry and other speakers mentioned voluntary groups. I pay tribute to all the voluntary groups with which I liaise and work, including Mental Health Ireland, Aware, GROW, Schizophrenia Ireland and Amnesty International, all of which do important work. Perhaps society should be challenged more by what these organisations do.

Each of us could do more to help vulnerable people with mental illnesses, especially those who are homeless, by "adopting" them. On my visits to psychiatric institutions and community care facilities, I often ask the nurses and carers whether the patients have any visitors. It seems there are some who never do. I visited an institution some days ago in which a chronically ill male patient, aged 79, lay dying alone in his room. He was looked after fantastically but the nurses told me he had not received a visitor for years. In view of the vast wealth now enjoyed by this country, it is difficult to believe that such people are forgotten. There is a message here for us all. Many users of the mental health services simply want somebody with whom to talk and listen. Ensuring this need is met would be helpful.

Senators Feeney and Henry contributed positively, as always, to the discussion. I thank Senator Feighan for his positive remarks on the progress being made and acknowledge his points regarding the debilitating scourge of depression in society. The expert group is considering alternative treatment methods for mental illness sufferers. It is a question of fitness of both mind and body.

I do not have time to respond to all the points made but will bear them in mind. I thank all Senators for their contributions. It is indicative of our maturity that such a useful discussion has been had on the subject of mental illness. I appreciate the help Senators give me in attempting to drive this agenda forward. I acknowledge there are problems in the services for the mentally ill as a consequence of the historical lack of priority afforded to the area. However, there is now a recognition of the importance of such services and, working together, we can ensure people receive the treatment and support to which they are entitled.