Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 131: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will make a statement on the decision of the Health Service Executive north east to accept only urgent or emergency child and adolescent psychiatric referrals from general practitioners in Cavan and Monaghan for at least the next four months; and the action she will undertake to reverse this cutback in services. [9281/08]

Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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Operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services was assigned to the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004 and funding for all health services has been provided as part of its overall vote. 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.

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 132: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will clarify the commitment in the Programme for Government that states that funds will be ringfenced from the sale of existing mental hospitals, estimated to be approximately €800 million, to fund community based services; if, as this statement is under the heading mental health services, the money will all be spent on community based mental health services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9295/08]

Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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"A Vision for Change" the Report of the Expert Group on Mental Health Policy, which was launched in January 2006, has been accepted by Government as the basis for the future development of our mental health services. The Report recommends inter alia that psychiatric hospitals should be closed in order to free up resources to provide community based multidisciplinary team-delivered mental health care for all. A plan to achieve this should be put in place for each psychiatric hospital.

"A Vision for Change" also recommends that the full economic value of psychiatric hospital buildings and lands should be professionally assessed towards identifying appropriate future use and maximum value and benefit. The value of these assets significantly counter balances the capital cost of the new mental health services infrastructure requirement. The Health Service Executive has primary responsibility for implementing these recommendations.

Tom Sheahan (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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Question 133: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will provide much needed funding to a centre (details supplied) to keep them afloat and to provide and promote positive mental health in the community due to the fact that this service will close shortly and the burden will then fall back onto the Health Service Executive who are unable to provide this level of early intervention and treatment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7472/08]

Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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Operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services was assigned to the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004 and funding for all health services has been provided as part of its overall vote. The Executive, therefore, is the appropriate body to consider the 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.

Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 134: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she has received the report of the Irish Psychiatric Association published on 24 January 2008; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9285/08]

Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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I assume the Deputy is referring to "The Lie of the Land" Report recently launched by the Irish Psychiatric Association. The Report gives examples of proceeds of assets allegedly lost to psychiatric services over a 20-25 year period. A small number of assets disposed of in the past two years are identified. "A Vision for Change", which is the basis for the future development of our mental health services is very clear on this issue. It recommends that resources, both capital and revenue, should be retained in the mental health service, with the reconfigured mental health services having priority in their disposal. It also recommends that the full economic value of psychiatric hospital buildings and lands should be professionally assessed towards identifying appropriate future use and maximum value and benefit. The value of these assets significantly counter balances the capital cost of the new mental health services infrastructure requirement.