AARON KENT
Minister for Mental Health, Mary Butler, gave an update on an expanded mental health facility to be delivered at University Hospital Waterford.
In request for an update from TD David Cullinane, who acknowledged that the expansion would be “massive and a game-changer for mental health services in Waterford”, Minister Butler explained that she shared Deputy Cullinane’s frustration in relation to the delays, but suggested that these delays have ultimately led to an increase in capacity, including 10 extra beds for ‘psychiatry of later life’.
Speaking in the Dáil, Minister Butler said: “The frustration that many people feel I have felt as well for quite a while. When it was announced initially in 2020 or 2021, we were in the middle of Covid. It was then held up for three years by the clinicians”.
“At the time, I was very frustrated with them but I agree with them now. They did not want the new approved centre, the new department of psychiatry in UHW, to be, as was proposed, on the site adjacent but not connected to it. It is now going to be connected,” she said.
“I have allocated over €40 million for capital projects this year, including for the next stages for the acute mental health unit at Waterford,” Minister Butler said.
“The project will move to design feasibility this quarter when a design team will be appointed for the new unit. Most importantly, because of delays, we are now moving from a 50-bed unit to a 60-bed unit. There is going to be an extra ten beds for psychiatry of later life. We have an ageing population and it is really important for people who have enduring mental health conditions, as they age, that they would also be able to get those supports if needed.”
Minister Butler explained that the Acute Metal Health Unit will go in the car park space behind the Dunmore Wing at UHW.
“It will be built immediately behind the Dunmore Wing, which the Deputy knows very well. He visited it with me previously. It will come out immediately behind the Dunmore Wing as part of the department of psychiatry that is there at the moment. The current car park will be lost but I spoke to the general manager of the hospital about that and he said it was a small price to pay for this new development,” Minister Butler said.
“We expect it is going to cost in the region of at least €50 million. I met with HSE estates recently in St. Otteran's campus. I was visiting psychiatry of later life there and we went through it. We can discuss the other pieces shortly. The good news is that the design team will be appointed very shortly, I am hoping in the next few weeks, and we will finally make the progress. The funding has been provided,” Minister Butler added.
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
