Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 114: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the fact that there are only 20 paediatric psychiatric beds in the entire State for the under 16 population, with many regions of the country having no beds at all, and no beds for 16 to 18 year olds. [18515/05]

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 115: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the immediate steps she will take to ensure that all regions of the country have sufficient paediatric psychiatric beds available for persons under 18 years in crisis situations who may otherwise may be placed in totally inappropriate psychiatric units for adults. [18516/05]

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 114 and 115 together.

A working group on child and adolescent psychiatry was established by the Minister for Health and Children in June 2000 to make recommendations on how child and adolescent psychiatric services should be developed in the short, medium and long-term to meet identified needs.

The first report of the working group on child and adolescent psychiatry recommended that a total of seven child and adolescent inpatient psychiatric units for children ranging from six to 16 years should be developed throughout the country. Project teams have been established to develop child and adolescent inpatient psychiatric units in Cork, Limerick, Galway and one in the Health Service Executive's eastern regional area at St. Vincent's Hospital, Fairview. The process of appointing design teams for the units in Cork, Limerick and Galway is under way and the project team is continuing its work in relation to the unit at St. Vincent's Hospital. At present, in-patient services for children and adolescents are provided at Warrenstown House, Dublin and at St. Anne's in Galway.

The Health Act 2004 provided for the Health Service Executive, which was established on 1 January 2005. Under the Act, the executive has the responsibility to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. This includes responsibility for the provision of child and adolescent psychiatric services.