Social Democrats councillor for the Rush-Lusk ward, Paul Mulville, has welcomed clarification from the Health Service Executive regarding the future transfer of patients from the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum to Portrane.
Cllr Mulville said:
“Recent media reports, which suggested that the M50 motorway would be closed to facilitate the transfer to patients next year from Dundrum to the new National Forensic Mental Health Services Hospital in Portrane, caused acute concern for local residents, who feared significant disruptions.
“The very idea that the HSE would even contemplate such a course of action, without at the very least giving prior notice to the people of Donabate and Portrane, is totally unacceptable.
“In response to a Dáil question to the Minister for Health, tabled by my colleague Róisín Shortall TD, the HSE has stated that they have no plans to close the M50 in order to facilitate the transfer and such a suggestion has never been under consideration.
“The HSE also stated that the issue raised in this article was referred to the HSE communications division to follow-up directly with the newspaper in question. The HSE press office contacted the journalist which resulted in a change to the headline.
“With the new NFMHS Hospital, Portrane, set to open in early 2021, pending the approval of the Central Mental Hospital (Relocation) Bill 2020 by the Oireachtas, the HSE must communicate directly with the community and ensure that the opening of this important national healthcare facility does not cause undue disruption in our area.”
November 30, 2020