Mental Health Services
Dail Éireann — 2025-12-09
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Mary Butler (FF), Waterford

I thank Deputy Fleming for raising the issue of Erkina House. We have been here before. The Deputy has been a long-time advocate for and supporter of Erkina House.
It is a key priority for me and for the Government that people experiencing mental health difficulties receive the appropriate level of care they require in the most suitable location in the community which best meets their needs. Achieving this involves reform of mental health services and developing fit-for-purpose community services that will meet people's needs into the future. I have just spent the past two and a half hours in the Seanad dealing with Committee Stage of the Mental Health Bill, and I will be back in there again tomorrow. It is important that we have services that are fit for purpose.
Erkina House is operated by the HSE as a fully staffed community mental health residence. The HSE has advised the Department that there are three remaining residents supported at the residence. Erkina House has provided much-needed mental health support to many people over two decades. I acknowledge the care and affection and immense mental health supports provided by the staff there. However, it is not the type of mental health facility we would build today. In that regard, there are documented issues with the configuration of the building as a mental health service.
In 2018, a report by the Mental Health Commission inspectorate outlined the need for a significant response to multi-occupancy rooms. This was further recommended by the HSE for the purpose of infection prevention and risk control during the Covid-19 pandemic. The HSE has advised the Department and me that Erkina House would be significantly non-compliant with forthcoming Mental Health Commission community residence standards and that a significant level of investment would be required to develop the facility in order to achieve the additional regulatory standards required.
An independent review was commissioned by the chief officer of the HSE midlands-Louth-Meath community healthcare organisation in 2022. The review was completed on the basis of a potential move of services to another location in County Offaly. This is no longer an option being considered by the HSE. The review strongly recommended that the views of residents on their future service provision be the focus of decision-making.
A person-centred management model has been implemented by the HSE, which has indicated that the remaining residents wish to move to other long-term care facilities elsewhere in the community. The HSE has advised the Department that this property is not suitable for upgrade and adaptation, and, accordingly, no new admissions to Erkina House will be undertaken. The HSE has provided assurances to the Department as to the service provision being made for the existing residents to properly meet their needs. I will not go over these details on the floor of the Dáil because the number of people involved is so small that the individuals involved would be identifiable. I would be happy to engage with the Deputy offline on that matter.
It is important to address the situation with the staff. At present, there are 12 staff based in Erkina House, five nurses and seven multitask attendants. Consultation with staff and their union representatives is planned for later this month to collaboratively negotiate and agree transition plans. This will be informed by the expressed will and preference of the remaining residents on their plans to leave Erkina House to go into further long-term residential care.
In my concluding remarks, I will discuss the Deputy's concerns about Rathdowney and south County Laois and how we can work with him on investment in the area.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2025-12-09/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:26+00:00
Sitting date: 2025-12-09