THERE WERE 23 women in an open ward in St Ita's psychiatric hospital, Portrane, Dublin, with one shower, one bathroom and one toilet, Fine Gael health spokesman Dr James Reilly told the Dáil. "Bear in mind that this is 2008," he added.
Dr Reilly was among Opposition deputies who asked when the promised psychiatric unit in Beaumont Hospital would be delivered.
Minister of State for Health Dr Jimmy Devins said the development of the unit, which was to replace the facility at St Ita's, was included in the HSE's national capital plan 2006-2010. A project team had agreed its staffing and operational aspects.
Last year, with a view to optimising the location of the range of capital projects planned for the Beaumont campus, a development control plan had now identified an alternative site for the unit.
"It will be necessary for the project team to revisit the design and layout of the unit in the context of the new site," Dr Devins added.
"However, this will also afford the opportunity to the project team to review the design in the light of the recommendations in a Vision for Change, the report of the expert group on mental health policy." Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (SF, Cavan-Monaghan) said that although the Beaumont unit had been promised since the 1980s, an "archaic and antiquated" facility continued to operate at Portrane.
Pressed by Labour health spokeswoman Jan O'Sullivan to say where the site would be located, Dr Devins said it would be on the Beaumont campus.
"The site has been identified, the design has been approved and the staffing and operational aspects have been agreed, but in the light of the development control plan, the campus had to be considered in its entirety," said Dr Devins.
Mr Ó Caoláin asked if the co-location proposal resulted in the movement of the proposed psychiatric unit from the site originally intended. Dr Devins replied that it was a matter for the board to examine the overall development of the campus.
