Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 81: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if lands, under the management of the mental health services, if sold would be ring-fenced for mental health service development within that service area. [4785/06]

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
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The report of the expert group on mental health policy, A Vision for Change was launched on 24 January. This policy envisions an active, flexible and community-based mental health service where the need for hospital admission will be greatly reduced. It will require substantial funding, but there is considerable equity in buildings and lands within the current mental health system, which could be realised to fund this plan. Therefore, this report recommends that steps be taken to bring about the closure of all psychiatric hospitals and to re-invest the resources released by these closures in the mental health service. The closure of large mental hospitals and the move to modern units attached to general hospitals, together with the expansion of community services, has been Government policy since the publication of Planning for the Future in 1984.

The Health Service Executive has primary responsibility for implementing the recommendations of the expert report and all services will be examined in this context. The Health Service Executive has stated that the national mental health directorate within the HSE will immediately establish an implementation group to ensure that the recommendations are realised in a timely and coordinated manner.