Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 201: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her intentions in respect of the future use of the lands on which the Central Mental Hospital is located in Dundrum. [24143/04]

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 223: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her building plans for an urgently required new central mental hospital; if it is her intention to provide the new facility on the existing site; and if the land in Dundrum is under control of her Department or the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. [24144/04]

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 201 and 223 together.

In December 2000 the East Coast Area Health Board, in conjunction with the Eastern Regional Health Authority, the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and my Department, established a group to review the future role of the Central Mental Hospital. The review group's report was submitted to the Eastern Regional Health Authority and the Department of Health and Children in 2002. The report included plans to modernise, refurbish and extend the existing building and to provide a new residence on the campus.

A project team for the Central Mental Hospital was established by the Department of Health and Children and its inaugural meeting took place in February 2003. Its role was to examine options for the implementation of the recommendations of the 2002 report of the committee for the review of the Central Mental Hospital. This year, the group reported its findings to the Department and these proposals for the development of a new Central Mental Hospital, including the future location of the hospital, are under consideration in my Department. The lands of the Central Mental Hospital are the property of the Office of Public Works.