Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 258: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if a plan and timetable for closure of mental hospitals and release of funds has been produced. [21866/07]

Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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The Report of the Expert Group on Mental Health Policy, "A Vision for Change", which was launched in January 2006, provides a framework for action to develop a modern, high quality mental health services for a seven to ten year period. The Report represents Government policy and is the basis for the future development of our mental health services. The 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 Report emphasises that this process should take place on a phased basis with wards closing sequentially.

Implementation of "A Vision for Change" is a matter primarily for the Health Service Executive (HSE). The HSE has stated that it anticipates the closure of mental hospitals and the reinvestment of the proceeds to take place on a phased basis. It has also emphasised that hospitals can only close when the clinical needs of the remaining patients have been addressed in more appropriate settings such as additional community residences, day hospitals and day centres together with a substantial increase in the number of the well-trained, fully staffed, community-based multidisciplinary Community Mental Health Teams as is recommended in "A Vision for Change".

The identification of assets which may be in excess of known HSE requirements and assessment of their value is the responsibility of the HSE National Director of Estates. The Executive, therefore, is the appropriate body to consider the particular matter raised by the Deputy. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have the matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 259: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her views on extending the National Treatment Purchase Fund to mental health services. [21868/07]

Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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The National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) was established to expedite the provision of treatment for patients on public hospital waiting lists who have been waiting longest for surgery. I have no plans to expand the remit of the NTPF to the type of treatment referred to by the Deputy.

Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 260: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she provided dedicated funding for mental health service research as recommended in A Vision for Change. [21869/07]

Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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The Health Research Board (HRB) is the statutory body with responsibility for improving health through research and information. My Department provides funding for mental health research to the HRB as part of its overall vote. The Mental Health Research Division (MHRD) of the Health Research Board carries out national and international research, information gathering and the dissemination of research outcomes on mental health in Ireland. The Division manages and reports on the National Psychiatric In–Patient Reporting System (NPIRS) and is developing COMCAR — a system which collects information on community psychiatric services. Both databases will inform on policy and planning for mental health services nationally and regionally. In addition, research is an integral part of the work of the Health Service Executive and the Mental Health Commission.