A couple whose children were taken into State care in controversial circumstances last year are to buy a house from Meath County Council which would better suit the needs of their family, Carl O'Brien, Social Affairs Correspondent
At present Pádraic and Mary O'Hara spend between four and six hours a day transporting their children - four of whom have autism - from Kells, Co Meath, to various services in the greater Dublin area.
The couple said yesterday they were about to buy a three-bedroomed cottage in Batterstown, Co Meath, which is closer to the city, from the local authority for €400,000.
Mr O'Hara said he wished to clarify reports yesterday which said the council would sell the house for a knock-down price of €150,000.
Instead, he said, the family would pay its full market value of €400,000 as estimated by an independent valuer.
The cottage will need extensive renovation and they do not expect to move into it for at least a year.
"It's an old cottage about 30 years old with no central heating and will need extensive renovation," Mr O'Hara continued. "We'll be entirely financing it. We'll need to increase the number of bedrooms from three to seven, which is going to require planning permission."
He said some confusion appeared to have arisen over the cost of the site, which is valued at about €250,000, and the house itself, which is valued at about €150,000.
The local authority was asked by the HSE, the Health Service Executive, and Minister for Health Mary Harney to help find a house for the O'Hara family which would be closer to the special education and therapeutic services their four youngest children need.
Councillors at Meath County Council approved the sale of the property at a meeting on Monday night.
A number of local councillors expressed satisfaction at the move, although others said they were angered that the Minister for Health had not offered any financial assistance in the purchase of the house.
The couple have been driving between 100 and 200 miles a day each to transport four of their sons to special needs classes.
While the O'Haras' oldest son has just completed his Leaving Cert, the four younger boys attend different schools in Kill, Co Kildare, and in Blanchardstown, Dublin.
They also receive therapeutic support in different locations across the city on a regular basis.