James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 91: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of multi disciplinary mental health teams that have been established nationwide; the number of teams it is estimated that will be needed; the number of staff; the cost of establishing such teams; the timeframe for these teams to be in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34310/08]

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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"A Vision for Change"- the Report of the Expert Group on Mental Health Policy provides a framework for action to develop modern, high quality mental health services over a seven to ten year period. The Report estimates that 332 community mental health teams are required to deliver the proposed community-based mental health service. Each multidisciplinary team will include the core skills of psychiatry, nursing, social work, clinical psychology, and occupational therapy. To implement this, substantial change is required in the organisation and delivery of mental health services. Current resources require to be reallocated and remodelled to fund the new structure.

Implementation is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive (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 this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 92: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the amount of the estimated €800 million from the sale of existing mental hospitals that has been realised; the use to which the moneys received has been put; the length of time her Department had those moneys; the mental health purpose for which they will be used in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34311/08]

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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"A Vision for Change", the Report of the Expert Group on Mental Health Policy 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. It is understood that the Health Service Executive (HSE) has disposed of a small number of assets since the launch of the Report in January 2006.

As the HSE has primary responsibility for implementing this recommendation, the Executive is the appropriate body to consider the particular issues raised by the Deputy. Therefore, 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.