Family life began to disintegrate for Michael at an early age. As early as six years of age he started to show worrying signs of challenging behaviour.
By 12 years of age he had missed out on much of his primary school education. When he reached his early teens he ran away from his troubled family home in inner city Dublin. Homeless and living on the streets, he got into trouble quickly, accumulating charges for minor offences and developing an alcohol and drug addiction.
Then, in his mid-teens, he was involved in a car crash which left him partially brain damaged. This only compounded the emotional, learning and behavioural problems he already had.
After being placed in a special care unit for a time, he continued to stack up various theft charges such as stealing a sandwich from a shop, snatching a mobile phone and trying to steal a man's rucksack.
It became increasingly clear to care professionals that he was incapable of independent living and needed specialised care.
Over several months from late 2003 the charges against him were continually adjourned in the Children's Court, pending efforts to find him a suitable placement in a care facility.
He ended up spending five weeks in Cloverhill Prison on remand because there was nowhere else for him to go. During this time, say his family, he came distraught and suicidal.
The Health Service Executive ultimately found a treatment centre in a hospital in Northampton which specialises in caring for people with acquired brain injuries.
He was placed there on the basis that appropriate services would be secured in Ireland for him after a maximum period of 18 months.
However, almost two years later, relatives of the young man say Michael has become extremely frustrated and unhappy with his placement and wants to return home as soon as possible.
"He's withdrawn into himself, he's not capable of doing anything for himself now," one relative said, who asked not to be named. "Whenever he's on the phone he keeps saying he doesn't want to be there. It's non-stop. He wants to see his family.
"We'd like to see him getting looked after at home. It would mean a lot to him. The health board has been providing money for us to go over, which is good, but it's a very long trip."
The HSE has declined to comment on the case, but says it strives to provide appropriate care services in the most suitable setting possible.
• Michael's name has been changed to protect his identity