Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 170: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she still plans to move the Central Mental Hospital to the new Mountjoy Prison site in view of the fact that there is strong opposition among hospital staff and the Irish College of Psychiatrists to the move; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29832/05]

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
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In 2003, the Minister for Health and Children established a project team to critically examine all options for the redevelopment of the Central Mental Hospital. Several options, including the option of remaining in Dundrum, were examined under the various criteria, including clinical quality and strategic fit, cost in capital and revenue, timescale, future demands, integrated services, accessibility and safety and security. The team reported to the Department of Health and Children in May 2004 and recommended that the Central Mental Hospital be relocated to a new purpose built facility in the greater Dublin area, as this was judged to be the most appropriate option for delivery of patient care.

The Government has decided in principle that the new hospital will be developed on the Thornton Hall site, adjacent to the new prison. A total of 97% of admissions to the Central Mental Hospital come from within the Prison Service. The new Central Mental Hospital will be a health facility, providing a therapeutic forensic psychiatric service to the highest international standards in a state-of-the-art building. It is intended to develop the Central Mental Hospital independently of the prison complex by means of a separate capital development project, managed and directed by the Health Service Executive. The hospital will not be part of the prison complex but will have its own grounds with a separate entrance, access road and address. It will remain under the aegis of the Department of Health and Children and will be owned and managed by the Health Service Executive.