Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 226: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the Royal Hospital, Donnybrook, Dublin has decided to close Iona unit which is specially designed and run for patients with Alzheimer's disease and those suffering from dementia and is a fully secure unit facility, specifically providing for the care of eight patients, that such a closure is due to lack of resources to properly maintain the unit and that as a consequence patients suffering from Alzheimer's or dementia who require a secure unit will be moved to an open ward which is inappropriate to their condition; and if she will take the necessary action to ensure the resources are provided to the Royal Hospital, Donnybrook for the continued use of the Iona Unit for such patients who require secure care. [44865/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Royal Hospital in Donnybrook is an independent voluntary organisation that provides social care services to the community. Each year, like any voluntary agency publically funded by the Health Services Executive (HSE), the Royal Hospital enters into a Service Level Agreement with the HSE. I understand that it receives an annual budget from the Executive of over €21m. As 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 is the appropriate body to consider the particular matter raised by the Deputy. The 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.