asked the Minister for Health if it is intended to proceed with the development of a larger residential centre for mentally handicapped persons at Loughlinstown, County Dublin; the total number of persons who will be cared for at the centre and the total staff numbers expected to be employed there; if he accepts that small community based centres provide better surroundings for mentally handicapped persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Plans are being drawn up for a residential centre for 210 mentally handicapped persons at Loughlinstown. In addition it would provide for up to 120 day attenders.

In recent months I have visited many different locations for the care and training of mentally handicapped persons and have had extensive discussions with organisations engaged in this work. There is a pronounced movement, which I welcome, away from the concept of large residential centres towards a community based model which affords maximum support wherever this would enable a person to remain in his own community. Of course there will be need for residential facilities of various kinds. I have, however, serious reservations about proceeding with very large residential centres and have directed a fundamental review of certain projects now before my Department, including Loughlinstown.

I understood that as far back as 1980 there was a recommendation in a Government White Paper that there should be a move towards community housing for the mentally handicapped. Is the Minister now telling me that there has been no real development in that area and that the matter is being re-examined?

No, I take it that there have been developments. I inherited a number of very large projects, some so far advanced in terms of large residential units that there was no option but to complete them. However, there are three or four major proposals, including Loughlinstown, where I am having the whole structure revised. I am strongly of the view that we need to have dispersed throughout the country community homes, hostels and small residential units catering for the local mentally handicapped population, rather than getting them all together from a county into one particular area. The planning and work of Loughlinstown and other areas are being examined and that examination is almost completed. I hope to announce decisions on that in the very near future.