The Mental Health Commission has found seven high-risk ratings in a Sligo/Leitrim mental health centre.
The commission's findings relate to the 32-bed acute adult mental health unit at Ballytivnan.
The Mental Health Commission is an independent body set up in 2002.
It aims to promote, encourage and foster high standards and good practices in the delivery of mental health services and to protect the interests of patients who are involuntarily admitted.
The Sligo mental health centre building dates from the 1930s, and the Commission, in a report published this week, says it is unsuitable for providing a modern service.
However, building work is ongoing on a new centre on the campus of Sligo University Hospital.
At the time of inspection of the centre in Ballytivnan, there were 17 residents in the 14-bed female admission ward.
Two interview rooms and a multi-purpose room had been used as bedrooms for the extra female residents.
The seclusion room was also being used as a bedroom.
There were 12 residents in the 14-bed male admission ward and one male in the four-bed high-dependency ward.
The commission says that although registered to provide mental health services for people with an intellectual disability, the approved centre was not suitable for this function.
The commission said that compliance with regulations had decreased significantly from 79% in 2018 to 66% this year.
As compliance was 63% in 2017, there had been no overall improvement in three years.
Five areas have been non-compliant for three consecutive years, all risk-rated as high.
At the time of inspection, the centre had seven high-risk ratings in the areas of premises, staffing, general health, privacy, maintenance of records, risk management and physical restraint.
The commission says the centre at Ballytivnan was not kept in a good state of repair, inside and outside.
Seven compliances with regulations were rated as excellent.
The centre was requested to provide corrective and preventative actions in areas where they were needed.
Meanwhile, the brand new 25-bed mental health inpatient unit being built at Sligo University Hospital is expected to be operational in the coming year.
