Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 193: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if, in the sale of health board lands and buildings at St. Brigid's hospital, Ballinasloe, County Galway, she will confirm that the funds received from such sales will be ring fenced as promised for the improvement of mental health services in east Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36168/09]

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 and the proceeds of these sales, which amount to just over €42m, 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 was examined in detail in the Department of Health & Children and some preliminary discussions took place with the Department of Finance. However, a number of issues required clarification and a revised submission has now been submitted to the Department of Finance.