John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

Yes. The Senator should remember that in the general hospital in Kilkenny there are acute psychiatric services. I have visited the unit and noted it is forward-thinking. In Kilkenny, as in Sligo, there is a nurse operating in the area of psychiatric care. There is a prescribing nurse in this area also, which I welcome. All of these developments are positive.

I will not do the Senator an injustice when addressing her concerns. That is why, in spite of the fact that the matter is properly being raised today, I intend to invite her to a meeting to discuss it. This is to assure her there is nothing surreptitious, hidden, smart or cute. The only regret I have is that what is proposed should have been happening approximately ten years ago. Having visited most of the hospitals, I am aware that there is a great need. I am glad that, at long last, we have a ring-fenced budget. We are moving as fast as we possibly can.

When I was in Tipperary over 12 months ago, the commission was involved in addressing the issue concerning the facility in Clonmel. It reported that the facility certainly could not provide the mental health service required. I accept that the Senator is not saying for one minute that the building and structure are adequate. She may ask why there could not be a separate facility on the campus. I intend to take the services provided at St. Michael's Hospital off campus. Let us be clear that the issue involves selling land and property to ensure we can develop further services in the area. I am aware that the service in north Tipperary is delivered from south Tipperary.

A comprehensive €20 million programme to develop community-based mental services has been announced. The programme will be funded from the proceeds of the sale of lands and will be associated with the package of €43 million announced in the budget. I expect the project in respect of the 40-bed unit to be put out to tender in the coming weeks. I made a commitment to the Clonmel and Letterkenny facilities as they were crying out for immediate investment.

The programme will provide more appropriate mental health services with better access for users. It is all based on the recovery model of mental health treatment and the transfer from old structures to modern facilities backed up by committed mental health teams. A Vision for Change envisions a community-based mental health service with a reduced reliance on inpatient care. The decision to provide a home-based treatment team will minimise the necessity for hospital admissions. Over Christmas I refreshed my mind on this clear policy in A Vision for Change. My only regret is that we should be further up the line in this reform programme than we currently are. I intend to revisit those hospitals I visited last year to work with them on their capital programmes.

Regarding the point raised about bogus claims and lead clinicians making different assessments, I accept there is some anger in Tipperary. However, part of the reason for this anger is that people, in their minds, perceive this as a downgrading of their acute hospital services. It has nothing to do with this. I may not have done justice to all the issues raised by Senator Prendergast. However, I promise I will brief her and her Oireachtas colleagues in the next two weeks to assure her that this move is in the patients' best interest and is part of a reform programme that must be pushed.