Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 45: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if previous plans to move the acute psychiatric unit in St. Sinan's Hospital to Wexford General Hospital are now being rejected, due to the new report of the expert group on mental health policy, A Vision For Change; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8373/06]

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 2006. 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 Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of mental health services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the parliamentary affairs division of the executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.