Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 181: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason for the planned closure of a centre (details supplied) in County Roscommon; if he will overturn this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34734/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I can advise the Deputy that my Department, in association with the Probation Service commissioned a 'Review of Adult Probation Residential Facilities' in 2007 in order to examine and make recommendations on, inter alia, the management structure and overall governance and operation of the four residential facilities and the role of the Probation Service. In addition, the review included an examination of the efficiency, effectiveness and value for money achieved from the funding provided. The report was completed at the end of July 2008.

The Report on the residential facilities provides the Probation Service and my Department with a very valuable 'blueprint' of how the four facilities are currently operating. I have to frankly state that the findings in respect of the facility cited by the Deputy gave cause for concern. The overall conclusion of the Report was that the centre is in crisis. There are serious indications (e.g. HR, financial and quality of service) that the organisation has become dysfunctional — the results of this review indicate that the organisation as it currently stands is no longer viable. There were concerns expressed over the quality of care and rehabilitation.

While the Probation Service provides funds for the centre, the centre itself is a limited company controlled by its own Board of Management.

The Board, having responded by letter, copy of which was forwarded separately to the Deputy, indicated that they have been frustrated in attempting to resolve a growing range of serious difficulties relating to the operation and management of the centre, including limited programme participation levels. They shared the concerns raised in the Report and they took the unanimous view that the preferred course of action was to close down the facility, take time to reflect on the learning and develop a vision and plan for a new way forward.

The Board of Management therefore decided to close the centre and wind up the limited company. I share the concerns contained in the Report and expressed by the Board. In any event, I have no power to overturn the decision of the Board of Management. The Probation Service will now work with the project to effect the orderly closure of the project in its present form.

I am committed to finding the best option available to us to meet the addiction needs of the client group of the Probation Service. The current report, combined with other reports on this facility, give us a good basis upon which to make informed decisions that will ultimately lead to a better, more focused and tailored service to this particular client group. My Department and the Probation Service are committed to working to achieve a viable alternative that will bring added value to the work of the Service and most importantly, better meet the range of needs of individual clients with addiction and other issues.

The Probation Service will now set about developing a detailed new vision for the centre in question, including identifying the needs for addiction treatment places in this catchments area, seeking to develop sustainable partnership to deliver the identified services. I want to reiterate that this is not simply a money exercise. It is a strategic review of services to a specific client group with particular needs so that we can provide the most appropriate service to that grouping.

We must at all times, be mindful of the type and range of services we provide to key groupings, such as those with addiction issues; we must be willing to look critically at how we are providing those services and be prepared to examine, evaluate and if necessary start afresh in the knowledge that the service will be better able to meet the many and varied demands which are part and parcel of our population.