TD criticises care for mentally ill

The "scandal" of more than 400 people with intellectual disabilities living in totally unsuitable conditions in long-stay psychiatric hospitals was referred to by the Fine Gael deputy health spokesman, Mr Dan Neville.

"The Inspector for Mental Hospitals has, over the years, pointed out the inappropriateness of this, both for those suffering from an intellectual disability and those suffering from a psychiatric disorder."

Mr Neville was introducing a Fine Gael Private Member's motion critical of the Government's performance in the provision of facilities for the mentally ill. The motion will be voted on tonight.

He said discrimination against people with mental illness was an abuse of human rights. Ireland's treatment of people with disabilities was often at variance with international standards.

"The UN committee on economic, social and cultural rights, in its 2002 concluding observations on Ireland's second periodic report, was very critical of the Government's treatment of people with disabilities.

"It remarked on the 'persistence of discrimination against persons with physical and mental disabilities, especially in the fields of employment, social security benefits, education and health', and expressed concern that 'the principles of non-discrimination and equal access to health facilities and services was not embodied in the recently published National Health Strategy'."

The Minister of State for Health, Mr Tim O'Malley, said that, notwithstanding the shortcomings which had been identified, there had been many improvements in the services, as outlined in successive annual reports of the Inspector of Mental Hospitals.

Those related particularly to the increase in the number of acute psychiatric units associated with general hospitals. In 1983, there were 10 such units, and this had now been increased to 19, with a number of others at various stages of development.

"The number of community residences in 1983 was 111, with less than 1,000 places," he added. "In 2001, this had increased to 404, with more than 3,000 places. In the same period, the number of in-patients in psychiatric hospitals and units has reduced from approximately 13,000 to just over 4,000."

Mr O'Malley said the decline in numbers of new, long-stay patients did not necessarily reflect a decline in the prevalence of psychiatric illness. "However, it is clear that hospitalised prevalence of serious psychiatric illness has declined greatly in recent years. "

It was his intention to continue to accelerate the growth in more appropriate care for persons with a mental illness with the further development of community-based facilities.