Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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13. To ask the Minister for Health the moneys spent to date by the HSE in relation to the new 24-hour staffed community mental health residence in Carrigaline, County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17003/22]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Glenwood House, Carrigaline, County Cork, is to be a 10-bed mental health community residence. Community residences are to enable people who have experienced mental health difficulties to live more independently.

In November 2020, Glenwood House in Carrigaline, County Cork, was purchased for €750,000. Since purchase, approximately €500,000 has been spent to bring it up to standard.

It is planned to be staffed 24 hours per day by registered psychiatric nurses. Residents will be supported and trained to live independently so individuals will progress to living independently in the community. The property represents an opportunity for service users of Mental Health Services in Cork to experience high quality accommodation in a community residential setting.

A Planning Permission application is under consideration by the planning authority in relation to the premises and a decision on this application is expected soon. Subject to the Permission being approved, the service will proceed with the identification of the particular service users who may take up residence in the unit, based on their assessed needs and their will and preference. These service users will be included in planning the final refurbishment/redecoration of the unit.

Rehabilitation and Recovery are central tenets to Sharing the Vision. Promoting access and inclusion is important in improving a person’s health as well as social functioning. However, people with enduring mental illness still have difficulty accessing the support they need to avail of housing and employment opportunities. Rehabilitation and recovery services have a key role in helping people with enduring mental illness to gain access to housing, employment and social/leisure activities and are a key priority for Minister Butler when considering new developments in service provision.