Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 313: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her views on the concerns expressed by the Mental Health Commission, the Irish Mental Health Coalition and the Human Rights Commission with regard to the redevelopment of the Central Mental Hospital on a site adjacent to the main prison at Thornton Hall; if she has developed a response to these concerns; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12526/07]

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
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In May 2006, the Government approved the development of a new national forensic mental health facility at Thornton Hall, Co. Dublin and the disposal of the site at Dundrum. The Health Service Executive has established a project team to progress the redevelopment of the Central Mental Hospital.

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 314: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the steps being taken at a departmental level to ensure the delivery of reduced waiting times and enhanced in-patient facilities for children accessing mental health services by January 2008; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12527/07]

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
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The Report of the Expert Group on Mental Health Policy, entitled "A Vision for Change", was launched in January 2006 and provides a framework for action to develop a modern, high quality mental health service over 7 to 10 years. It recommends the provision of two child and adolescent community multidisciplinary mental health teams per 100,000 of the population.

In 2006, a sum of €26.2 million was allocated for the development of mental health services in line with " A Vision for Change". A further sum of €25 million has been allocated in 2007 to continue this development. A significant amount of this year's funding, €7.95 million, is for the development of child and adolescent mental health services. This funding will bring about significant improvements in community, hospital-based and early intervention services including the development of a further eight new child and adolescent mental health teams. The provision of additional teams will reduce waiting times for assessment and treatment.

It is important to note that all emergency referrals are seen without delay. However, the HSE is currently examining non-emergency waiting lists to identify and improve the least developed services. Currently, there are 10 child and adolescent psychiatric in-patient beds in the public sector for the under 16 age group, four at St Anne's, Galway and six at Warrenstown House, Dublin. A further 12 beds will be provided this year in these units, i.e. six additional beds in each unit. Four new purpose built 20-bed units in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick are at an advanced planning stage and have secured funding through the HSE Capital Programme 2006-2010.

As an interim measure pending the development of additional dedicated in-patient beds, the provision of an additional 24-32 dedicated adolescent psychiatric beds, primarily for the 16 and 17 year age group, across the four HSE administrative areas is being progressed by the HSE. Dedicated child and adolescent multidisciplinary teams will be provided for these additional beds and training will be provided for staff in the identified units.

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 315: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when her Department will publish an implementation plan, including timeframes, performance indicators and interim delivery targets, to ensure the full execution of the mental health policy, A Vision for Change; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12528/07]

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
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The Government is committed to the full implementation of "A Vision for Change" the Report of the Expert Group on Mental Health Policy and has accepted the Report as the basis for the future development of our mental health services.

In March 2006, I appointed an independent monitoring group to monitor progress on the implementation of the recommendations of "A Vision for Change". The group will monitor and assess progress on the implementation of all the recommendations including those which fall under the responsibility of the Health Service Executive (HSE), government departments and other relevant agencies. The Group is to submit its first annual report by mid 2007.

Implementation of the individual recommendations of "A Vision for Change" is a matter primarily for the HSE. The HSE established an implementation group in July 2006 to ensure that mental health services develop in a synchronised and consistent manner across the country and to guide and resource service managers and clinicians in making the recommendations in "A Vision for Change" a reality. Both of these groups will play an important role in ensuring that the recommendations are implemented in a co-ordinated and timely manner. I have been informed by the HSE that they plan to publish a Progress Report and outline the proposed implementation programme over the life of "A Vision for Change" in the near future.

In 2006, a sum of €26.2 million was provided for the development of our mental health services in line with "A Vision for Change". A further sum of €25 million has been allocated for 2007 to continue this development.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 316: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she or her Department have received correspondence from the Alzheimer Society of Ireland in Dún Laoghaire in relation to the urgent need for investment and accelerated implementation of the dementia manifesto; her plans to address this issue in early date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12546/07]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has received correspondence, including a copy of the Dementia Manifesto 2007-2009, from the Alzheimer Society of Ireland. I met with the Society on 8th March 2007 to discuss, inter alia, the recommendations outlined in the Manifesto.

The development of Services for Older People, including the development of services for people with dementia, is a priority for the Government. This is reflected in the funding committed to Services for Older People in Budgets 2006 and 2007. Last year, the Government funded the largest ever expansion in Services for Older People with a full year cost of €150m. This year a full year package of €255m has been allocated for Services for Older People. This gives a total of over €400m added to services for older people over two years.

Government policy in relation to older people is to support people to live in dignity and independence in their own homes and communities for as long as possible and, where this is not possible, to support access to quality long-term residential care. This policy approach is renewed and developed in the latest partnership agreement, Towards 2016. The Action Plan for Dementia, published in 1999, describes a model of best practice for the provision and planning of dementia care in Ireland.

There is a complementary link between Government policy in the area of the care of older people and care for people with dementia. Both policies stress the need to provide support in dignity and independence, through the provision of appropriate services to the people concerned and their carers. The Government is fully committed to providing such support and service improvement, including the expansion of community and residential care services for people with dementia. This commitment is reflected in the additional funding of approximately €109 million in Budget 2006 and €82 million in Budget 2007 which was allocated to community supports for older people, including those with dementia. These supports include Home Care Packages, the Home Help Scheme and Respite Care.

The additional funding provided for Home Care Packages and the Home Help Scheme will further enhance the supports available to families caring for people with dementia at home. In 2006 a total of 2,000 extra Home Care Packages were provided at a full year cost of €55 million (prior to this date only 1,100 Packages had been in operation on a pilot basis). A similar increase in the number of Packages will be provided in 2007, benefiting some 4,000 people. An additional €21 million has been provided in 2007 to fund the cost of some 780,000 additional Home Help hours in 2007. This brings the total funding allocated to Home Helps to approximately €171 million per annum.

Among the areas where funding has been provided are day care and respite care which are an integral part of delivering a comprehensive community service for older people. Day care and respite care offer respite for family members and/or carers and provide social stimulation in a safe environment for older people with mild forms of dementia. The provision of an additional €9 million in 2006 funded a further 1,325 additional places per week in these centres, together with additional programmes for specific needs such as activity therapy. It also means that many day care centres can increase the number of days per week they open. Additional funding of €3.5 million provided in Budget 2007 will cater for a further 1,100 day places per week in day care centres.

The HSE has responsibility for the planning and management of capital projects in the health sector, including the development of services for people suffering from Dementia. The HSE's capital plan for 2007 has recently been approved and includes an allocation of €107 million for older people specific projects.