Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 462: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the lands and buildings of psychiatric institutions which have been disposed of since January 2006; the amount raised from the sale of these assets; the amount surrendered to the Department of Finance; the amount reinvested into the development of mental health services in view of the fact that A Vision for Change has been adopted as policy and that a commitment to reinvest all money realised from the sale of such assets into mental health services was made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33471/09]

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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'A Vision for Change' the Report of the Expert Group on Mental Health Policy recommended 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 re-invested in the mental health service. The Departments of Finance and Health and Children have agreed in principle to the release of the proceeds of the disposal of properties prior to 2006 for reinvestment in mental health capital development.

The arrangements for property disposal require Department of Finance approval in each case, the lodging of the proceeds as Exchequer Extra Receipts and the re-voting of the funds for approved projects. The HSE has disposed of a small number of psychiatric properties in recent years. Proceeds of the sale of St. Loman's Hospital, Verville Retreat in Clontarf and two other Dublin properties, amount to just over €42m, and these funds have been surrendered to the Exchequer. A submission detailing the priority projects to be funded from these historic disposals has been received from the HSE. The submission has been examined in detail in the Department of Health & Children and some preliminary discussions have taken place with the Department of Finance in relation to the proposals. However, a number of issues have arisen which require clarification and further consideration. The HSE has recently been requested to provide additional information and this information is awaited.