Linn Dara closed in 2022 for what was supposed to be four months. It has still not reopened with the beds that are due to open again. That was a crisis at the time and it has been a crisis since. It is welcome that the facility is to reopen but will it reopen with a full complement of staff? When Linn Dara opened, the problem from day 1 was that there was never a full complement of staff. Then there were staff changes because of the pressures that were put on staff. The unit eventually closed because it was no longer safe as there was not a full complement of staff. Linn Dara is needed, St. Vincent's Hospital is needed and the children's hospital, which is also in the area, is needed. Nobody is saying that they should not all be open. We know we have a crisis in this country and in this city. We need all of those services. The fact that one service is closing to facilitate the opening of another is absolutely ridiculous. We need to know about the planning and where the funding for the CAMHS services in the children's hospital is going to come from because in two years' time we do not want Linn Dara to close again to facilitate the children's hospital.
Sentiment score: -0.17
As a TD in Dublin South-Central where Linn Dara is based I welcome the fact it is going to open but it is not additionality. This is something that was closed in 2018 and 2022. It was supposed to be for three or four months. Here we are how many years later? It is four years later and the Minister of State says it is an expanded service. It is not expanded - it is a reinstatement of service. If it was expanded, the Minister of State would be announcing 20 extra beds in Linn Dara or she would announce the capacity would increase based on St. Vincent’s. That is not the case.
Sentiment score: 0.07