Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 220: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the response she proposes to make to that part of the Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr Thomas Hammarberg's report on his visit to Ireland that refers to the large number of children with psychiatric needs who continue to be treated in adult circumstances and his further comment that the placing of such children in adult facilities is in breach of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child, which Ireland has ratified. [17882/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Commissioner Hammarberg's Report recommended inter alia that adequately resourced separate facilities and services be provided for minor psychiatric patients, and that early intervention at a local level should be made possible for such children.

The response to that recommendation in the report indicated that: "Government policy for the development of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services is outlined in "A Vision for Change". It recommends the recruitment of additional Child and Adolescent Multidisciplinary Mental Health Teams and the development of additional in-patient accommodation.

In 2008 eight additional Multidisciplinary Teams will be recruited and 18 additional beds provided. Construction of two 20 bed units (in Cork and Galway) for children and adolescents will also commence".

Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 221: To ask the Minister for Health and Children further to Parliamentary Question No. 166 of 26 February 2008 if the Health Service Executive has completed a cost benefit analysis under the Capital Appraisal Guidelines on the re-development of the Central Mental Hospital facility. [17884/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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A cost benefit analysis of the new national forensic mental health facility at Thornton Hall, Co. Dublin is currently being undertaken, and the results are expected shortly.