Hubert also grew up in Baldoyle. "I was one of the lucky ones because I was chosen to go to Ballymun Comprehensive. Up until then I had no contact with non-disabled kids. On my first day in school I got a major shock. I was convinced that me being there was a huge mistake. Looking back, I can see now that it was also the best thing that ever happened to me.
"Once I reached 18, I had nowhere to go. It was suggested that I go to a geriatric home in Longford. It was though that I'd like to be near my family, but that was really in the bog - the middle of nowhere - as well as being for old people and so I refused to go. I was taking a gamble really because I really had nowhere else.
"Eventually, I got into this residential care home and at that time it was very regimented. For example, there were a strict visiting hours and a bed-time rule of 8 p.m. for men. It has all changed now, but then it was a difficult place for a teenager."Apart from two others around my own age, the nearest in age to me was 50 years older. There were no male staff working late, so when I refused to go to bed early, the female staff had to put me to bed later. It was embarrassing, but I had no choice then. I have two PAs now, and they are both males.
"The fact that I can now do whatever I want to do without being beholden to anyone - get up when I want to , eat when I want to, means everything to me. It has made an enormous difference to my relationships with my friends. I can go to visit them or they can come and visit me without having to ask them to put me to bed before they go home. My depending on them in this way may have caused a strain in friendships in the past, but this has definitely been lifted."I plan to move out totally in the next couple of years. Others who have moved out have had to move back to residential care because there is no back-up service. Everything can go wrong. It leaves you very vulnerable."I don't want to move out entirely until there is a proper back-up service, but I will move out. Some day soon, I hope."