Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 65: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the measures in place to retain profits from the sale of property currently used for psychiatric care within the mental health budget; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16325/08]

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 a plan to bring about the closure of all psychiatric hospitals should be drawn up and implemented, and that the resources released by these closures should be protected for reinvestment in the mental health service. The Minister for Health and Children, Mary Harney has made it clear to the HSE in the context of their Service Plan for 2008, that there can be no question of diverting capital or development funds to meet expenditure pressures arising in relation to core services.

The identification and disposal of assets which may be in excess of known HSE requirements 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.