Neale Richmond (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise the issue of the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum in Dublin 16. I first raised this issue with the former Minister of State, Deputy Helen McEntee, in the context of a wider debate on mental health and before she moved on from Department of Health. I raise it this morning for a more parochial reason, namely, that there is considerable concern in the local area about the future not only of the hospital and the activities within it but the site on which it is located. The Central Mental Hospital has been located in Dundrum for more than 150 years. It sits on a 34-acre site with an immediate local population of just over 12,500 people. I am aware that it is in the ownership of the Office of Public Works.We have a number of questions relating to the future of the hospital and what will happen. Those questions relate to the timing of the departure. The hospital and its activities are due to move to St. Ita's Hospital in Portrane in north county Dublin, however, the dates for an expected move have shifted a number of times due to various planning concerns and concerns over construction times, so could the Minister of State elaborate on when the hospital is due to move or give us an earlier estimation if possible?

When the hospital does move, that leaves this 34-acre site in the middle of a very populous area up for grabs. The Minister of State is substituting for the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, this morning but I know it is of particular interest to the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government. What is the future for this large site in the heart of peri-urban and suburban Dublin? First and foremost, the site, which is covered by my forming stamping ground of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, is zoned for institutional use but there is an allowance for an element of residential use. There were a number of local protests during the summer from a certain fringe group that wanted the entire site to be converted to social housing - estimated at up to 1,200 units. I would imagine that this would be quite large and go against the whole idea of balanced housing strategy but I would like to hear the Minister of State's personal insight if that was possible.

The future of the hospital has been up for grabs. We heard at one stage that it was a possible site for a foreign country wanting to host its ambassador's residence. We have heard that it might revert to the Irish Prison Service or stay within the HSE but, ultimately, what is needed with a large site in the middle of a well-populated area is that it opens up to the community. For over 150 years, it has been closed off to the community. Very impressive large granite walls are all most people know. I have contacted the powers that be to request a tour. It was very common under the Eastern Health Board but it has not been done recently in terms of reaching out to the community. We know about the patients who are resident in that hospital and we know a lot about the crimes they committed in the past but going forward, this is an opportunity to open it up to the community and develop it as a central part of Dundrum. A lot of people are looking to re-imagine Dundrum and we want people to know that Dundrum is far more than a shopping centre.