The State has been accused of gross negligence in its failure to provide long-term care for a 13- year-old autistic boy who remains in care at a secure psychiatric unit at Limerick's Mid Western Regional Hospital. It is now four weeks since the Co Clare boy was admitted to the hospital.
Yesterday, the chairwoman of the Mid-Western Health Board's reference group for child development services, Ms Anne O'Connor said: "The reason the boy is there is that the State has failed to provide services for him from an early age. It is gross negligence on the State's part that it has not catered for the long-term needs of this boy and no government department is willing to take responsibility for children like this boy. What is needed is a cradle-to-grave service."
The boy's parents are considering an offer by the health board to place their son in a respite service for children with autism in Limerick for 12 months as a temporary solution.
However, Ms O'Connor - who is also the mother of a 12-year old autistic boy - said: "The health board should provide a facility for the boy in Clare because that will allow him ease of access to his school and it will be easy for his family to see him."
Independent Clare TD Mr James Breen said yesterday that a adult psychiatric unit was no place for a 13-year old boy, and that he would be tabling a Dáil question to the Minister for Health, Mr Martin.
The boy's father said yesterday that he and the boy's mother would give a response to the health board's offer next week. However, on a previous stay at the respite service, he escaped.
The boy was admitted to the psychiatric unit on September 5th after an incident at home where he nearly stabbed his father with a steak knife.
His father said yesterday that arrangements were being put in place to allow their son back to his school next week on a trial basis where he would be accompanied daily by a male psychiatric nurse. "We are very happy with the care he is getting and feel secure that he is safe at the unit, though of course it is not the appropriate place for him to be."
The chairman of the health board, Cllr Seán Hillery, said there was no secure unit for children with autism in the mid-west.
Mr Hillery recalled a similar case where the board secured a place for an autistic girl at a unit in Northern Ireland after she was admitted to a psychiatric hospital in the region, which cost the board €100,000 per annum for two years while the girl was there.
In this case, for the past two years the boy's parents have been seeking without success a full-time residential place or adequate respite care . The boy's father has already expressed his frustration with the failure of the health board to locate a full-time residential place.
There are an estimated 2,000 autistic children and teenagers in the State. It is sometimes defined as a complex developmental disability which affects the way a person communicates and relates to people around them.
