Jim McDaid (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 330: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if the Health Service Executive carried out an audit of the lands attached to the psychiatric hospitals throughout the country as she has requested; the position regarding the audit carried out regarding St. Conal's Psychiatric Hospital in Letterkenny, County Donegal; if any land attached to St. Conal's Psychiatric Hospital in Letterkenny has been sold or disposed of in any way; if so, the person who authorised the sale or disposal of lands; if any land attached to the hospital has been sold, the proceeds of the sale received by Donegal mental health services; the proceeds channelled into community mental health services as she intended; if lands attached to St. Conal's are to be sold in the future will Donegal mental health services receive the proceeds of the sale; and if the money will be used to fund the transition of services from hospital based to community based in Donegal as she intended. [34411/07]

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 provides the basis for the future development of mental health services, envisions an active, flexible and community-based mental health service, with a greatly reduced need for hospital admissions. It is recommended that in the future, mental health services should be delivered by a range of specialised multi-disciplinary community mental health teams, based in community mental health centres. To bring this about, the Report further recommends that steps be taken to bring about the closure of all psychiatric hospitals, and that the resources released by these closures, should be re-invested in the mental health service to fund the new mental health service infrastructure requirement.

Responsibility for the implementation of "A Vision for Change" including the recommendations relating to the acquisition and disposal of psychiatric hospital buildings and lands, is a matter for the HSE. 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.