Mullingar District Court has heard harrowing details of how parents had to take out a protection order against their son who has considerable needs.
The young man’s mother said she had to work “around the clock” to ensure he feeds and washes himself and takes his medication before going out to work, which is organised for him by the HSE and Galro, the Guardian at Litem and Rehabilitation Office.
At home he hides washing powder and fabric softener so his mother can’t wash clothes.
He had been in independent living with Galro, the court heard, but he had come home because his father, who had to stay every day and night with him in his new home said his son wasn’t happy there. “At the moment, he’s better off at home.”
However the boy’s legal representative Mr Robert Marren said another one of their children could no longer live at their home now that he is back. That child has been taken into care.
Joe Sheehan of Galro gave evidence of how the young man had been with Rehab Care or in residential care until he was 17 and then moved on to Praxis where he was “doing brilliantly”.
At 18 he moved into independent living where “his behaviour escalated” through telephone contact with his father.
He described the young man’s home environment as a trigger for his behaviour and said that one of the young man’s obsessions is with a refusal to spend money.
A family member had to take control of his finances to ensure his rent was paid, but difficulties arose when the boy’s father insisted that rent is “dead money” and that he should get a house and mortgage of his own.
He has been home since July and things have gone “downhill”.
Judge Patrick McMahon asked the parents if they wanted to withdraw the protection order but no decision was made on this issue.
The young man’s mother said the future was up to her son and he said “I’m going to change my behaviour”.
His father said that his problems and anger were “very difficult to set up with” and he has gotten help through Galro for his anger.
“But if he is going to be like that, he’s better off at home,” he said.
Judge McMahon adjourned the case to December to “see how it goes”.
