John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I thank Senator McFadden for raising the issue, and Senator Cassidy. I thank Senator McFadden for the invitation to come into the House, and I will do so. I do not mean to long-finger this. I do not blame any Senator for expressing concern about the recommendations in the Government's reform programme, A Vision for Change. It is fair and proper for me to say that not alone is Senator McFadden dissatisfied with the pace of change and implementation of the recommendations, but Dr. Ruth Barrington and the monitoring committee for A Vision for Change have already made those points quite clearly, as has the implementation body.

I will outline my strategy in this area. It is very important that a number of parts of the programme for reform be put in place first. Over the last three years many people have asked for a lead director, somebody specifically with responsibility for driving A Vision for Change. Part of my ongoing proposal to start delivering the recommendations was to put such a person in place. I am pleased to tell the House that last week the HSE has accepted that and will very shortly interview to put the lead mental health proposer in place to deliver on that.

My second point deals with Castlepollard. I fully support the notion that in an era where we will not have new development money it was never more essential to provide funding for mental health. I see that through the sale of assets and the realisation of the values there. This message keeps getting lost. I am not saying Senator McFadden is losing the message; far from it. I do not mind any Senator being in some doubt. The reality will be very clear. A Vision for Change is predicated on delivering the recommendations based on the securing of the asset value. If that is not the case, that means A Vision for Change cannot become a reality. A Vision for Change is the current reform package in mental health and whatever funding is secured from the sale of properties will be ring-fenced for mental health.

People can suggest that this has not happened in the past. I will not waste time delving into the past. I can talk only in terms of the enactment of A Vision for Change. The revenue from the properties that have been sold since the publication of A Vision for Change amounts to €54 million. That figure was raised by the sale of St. Loman's Hospital in Dublin. There was never any suggestion of selling St. Loman's Hospital in Mullingar. People there thought I was very cutely coming in at dark of night to sell off St. Loman's Hospital in Mullingar and disappear back to Mountmellick. That was never the case but, unfortunately, the press release apparently gave the impression it was St. Loman's in Mullingar. That €54 million will be the first tranche of money going into delivering the recommendations.

The most important development has been that the leader in mental health will report specifically to the Minister. That person's role will be to deliver on the recommendations. To answer the Senator's questions, I look forward to coming to the Seanad. I am asking for some time for the moment. I have targeted September to revisit A Vision for Change and to make clear commitments on when the properties will come on the market and what they will deliver by way of capital programmes.

It is very important to deal with ongoing revenue demands. In that context, I am working with many of the organisations providing mental health services to see how we can deliver that package. I do not blame Senators for wondering whether A Vision for Change is alive. It is and if they give me some months, I will prove that.

The matter raised relates to A Vision for Change. It depends on services in the community. Castlepollard is one example of that. Where properties are secured for the delivery of community supports, the follow-on is that I must, in some way, find the resources to ensure staff can be provided to those houses.

The co-ordination and planning of services to meet the needs of people with disabilities form a central tenet of the national disability strategy. A critical element of such co-ordination and planning is the requirement to provide financial support for the development and implementation of services. An integral part of the national disability strategy is the multi-annual investment programme announced in the 2005 budget which provided €9 million for services.

In terms of services for people with physical and sensory disabilities, 275 new residential places and 911,000 extra home care personal assistance hours have been provided. A total of 406 places in the intellectual disability residential service have been enhanced, 61 respite places have been enhanced and 43 residential places in the physical and sensory disability service have also been enhanced.

In regard to the matter raised by Senators McFadden and Cassidy, I understand from the HSE that there are two phases to the transfer programme from St. Peter's care centre for residents into smaller domestic-type dwellings in the community. I further understand from the HSE that 15 residents were transferred in 2003 resulting in the closure of the full unit known as Hilltop. They are now living in the community. According to the HSE, phase one of the transfer programme has worked well and has impacted very positively on the lives of those residents.

At present, the HSE is in the final stage of phase two of the St. Peter's transfer programme. This involves the opening of the three houses to which the Senators referred. It will mean the transfer of 17 residents from St. Peter's care centre and the closure of the full unit, Manor House.

The houses are now ready, the residents have been identified and the preparatory work has been undertaken. The HSE has confirmed that it is currently considering staffing this phase of the programme from within its existing resources.

I reaffirm the Government's commitment to people with disabilities. The Senators asked when staffing levels will be resolved and when the houses will be opened. I have met many of the families involved and have given them a clear commitment that this is an issue which I am pursuing with the HSE and the Department. This morning I renewed negotiations and talks with the Department of Health and Children and the HSE. Having embarked on that strategy, it is up to us to work out how we will staff not only Castlepollard, but other properties. It will not be long-fingered and I intend to come back to the House as quickly as possible with those proposals. Naturally, I must accept the stark reality that the houses have been prepared, the residents have been notified and the next step is to ensure the transfer happens as quickly as possible.