John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 274: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the support the Department is giving to the Health Service Executive to establish a secure unit with therapeutic intervention as this facility does not currently exist here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40292/05]

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
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The Deputy is referring to the provision of a forensic psychiatric facility for children and young people with psychiatric problems coming into contact with the law.

The report of the expert group on mental health policy, "A Vision for Change", was published yesterday. The report acknowledges that there are a number of troubled children and adolescents in community settings who come before the courts. The report has recommended that a dedicated residential ten bed facility with a fully resourced child and adolescent mental health team should be provided with a national remit. It also recommends that an additional community-based, child and adolescent forensic mental health team should be provided. The Government has accepted the expert group's report as the basis for the future development of the mental health services.

More than €200 million has been invested in child welfare and protection services since 1997. A range of services is provided by the Health Service Executive to address the needs of a relatively small number of non-offending children in need of special care or protection, including intensive community based services designed to reduce the need for secure placement, such as the youth advocacy programmes, as well as specialised residential high support and special care secure units.