HEALTH SERVICE Executive (HSE) representatives have been directed to appear in the Children’s Court after a judge heard that psychiatric services are refusing to assess a 16-year-old boy in custody who has a history of self-harm and attempted suicide.
The Dublin teenager has been in custody in St Patrick’s Institution for more than a month after breaching bail conditions relating to charges of criminal damage and public order.
The court heard that the boy, who has been diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and has an IQ level equivalent to a person with learning disabilities, has attempted to harm himself and take his own life on numerous occasions. Judge Elizabeth MacGrath yesterday directed that a representative of the HSE attend a hearing of the case next week in order to resolve the issue.
“If a representative is not here, a witness summons will be issued,” Judge MacGrath said.
She directed that the boy remain in St Patrick’s Institution on bail, despite the protests of his mother that he be released into her care. At a previous sitting of the court, Judge Clare Leonard said a psychiatric assessment needed to be completed before deciding what court the case should be heard in.
Yesterday, the boy’s solicitor Sarah Molloy told Judge MacGrath that community-based psychiatric services in Castleknock were refusing to complete the boy’s assessment because he was in St Patrick’s Institution.
“It is unacceptable that a juvenile is in the custody of the State – yet the State is unwilling to assess him,” Ms Molloy said.
“The HSE in Castleknock have an onus and a responsibility to assess him. He was an existing patient of theirs before this.” Ms Molloy said the HSE had originally told her that assessments for minors were a matter for the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum. However, on checking this, she was told by the hospital’s clinical director that it did not deal with minors.
“I am told that the psychiatric services are refusing to assess him because he is not in a therapeutic environment. I said we were not looking for an assessment, not therapy.” Ms Molloy said. “There is nothing stopping them going into the prison, it appears they just don’t want to.”
After handing in a letter from the HSE on the matter, Judge MacGrath agreed to adjourn the case for a week.
“That’s a disgrace – an absolute disgrace,” the boy’s mother shouted from the back of Court 55 of the Children’s Court.