Three buildings close to Mount Carmel Hospital have been identified and reconstruction work has started with a view to having mentally-ill children separated from adult patients by the end of this year, Health Parliamentary Secretary Chris Fearne said today.

Replying to parliamentary questions by Opposition health spokesman Claudio Grech, Dr Fearne said there were mentally-ill children who needed psychiatric help and others had behavioural difficulties.

Mr Grech had asked why whether such children could be kept at Mater Dei Hospital until the three buildings were finished.

Dr Fearne said the government was keeping its promises on the issue, which the previous administration had done nothing about.

In his reply to the original question, the Parliamentary Secretary confirmed that two 14-year-olds had been kept in an adult ward at Mount Carmel outside the Young People’s Unit for some time on the advice of the consultant involved.