The Minister of State for Mental Health says he plans to visit the Department of Psychiatry at University Hospital Waterford.
It follows a meeting between Minister Jim Daly, Waterford TD Mary Butler and Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Mental Health, James Browne.
Earlier this month, photos emerged of patients sleeping on floors and chairs in the unit due to overcrowding.
Fianna Fáil Deputy Mary Butler says Minister Daly has made a commitment to visit the Department:
"The Minister is due in Waterford in the next week or two to visit the Holy Ghost unit in the city and also St Carthage's in Lismore, but he said he would prefer to come on a stand alone visit to the Department of Psychiatry at UHW given the seriousness of the issues that have been raised. So, he will come and he'll inform us shortly as to when that will happen."
She says he admitted that additional beds won't be achieved in the short-term:
"The Minister admitted that in principle it is accepted that Waterford and Wexford, that area, there is a shortage of beds. However, he did say to us that's a long-term ambition, it's not a short-term ambition, and that would be looking at a minimum of four years even if they could get the capital funding for it. So, he said in the short-term there won't be any extra capacity introduced. We also addressed the issues with him in relation to the fact that the aftercare is not at the standard that it should be, and in some instance when patients don't receive the correct aftercare they end up going back into the unit. He said that would be something they would certainly look at."
