James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 203: To ask the Minister for Health and Children when she will build the long promised and now cancelled acute psychiatric unit at Beaumont Hospital; the location of the new site on the hospital campus for the unit; if planning permission has being submitted; the costs incurred to date on the aborted project for the original psychiatric unit at Beaumont Hospital for which planning permission was obtained and for which tenders were issued in 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10132/08]

Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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The development of an acute psychiatric unit at Beaumont Hospital, to replace the facility at St Ita's, Portrane, is included in the HSE National Capital Plan 2006-2010. A project team has agreed the staffing and operational aspects of the unit. During 2007, with a view to optimising the location of the range of capital projects planned for the Beaumont campus, a Development Control Plan process was initiated. The Draft Development Control Plan has now identified an alternative site for the development of the acute psychiatric unit. It will be necessary for the project team to revisit the design and layout of the unit in the context of the new site. However, this will also afford the opportunity to the project team to review the design in the light of the recommendations in a Vision for Change — the Report of the Expert Group on Mental Health Policy.

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. The Executive, therefore, is the appropriate body to consider the particular matters 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.