Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for allowing me to raise the very distressing and sad case on behalf of the Garvey family in Dundalk, County Louth. David Garvey is a young man, he is only 33 years of age and he suffers from a very complex condition called locked-in syndrome, which leaves him completely paralysed apart from control of his eye movements. He cannot move or speak and his only form of communication is through blinking or eye gaze. Despite this dreadful affliction, David is fully conscious and able to think and reason normally.

His condition requires a high level of medical attention. He is currently receiving care from the excellent staff in Beaumont Hospital, but his fervent wish is that he be allowed to leave hospital and be nursed in his home in Dundalk. In January, David was delighted to hear that the HSE had approved this request and the required funding of €200,000 to €250,000, which would enable him to go home. However, this was, in effect, overturned and the HSE now claims that the cost would be in the region of €400,000 to €450,000. I am interested to find out how we can have two such wildly varying figures in the space of a few weeks, and which figure is accurate. I believe the Minister of State would acknowledge that David's case is quite a tragic and sensitive one and deserves the most sensitive care and attention we could possibly give it.

Perhaps we should reflect on David's own words to the HSE, which he wrote with the aid of his family, holding up an alphabet chart and which I wish to put on the record. He wrote:

Can you please close your eyes and imagine lying in bed not being able to move a muscle and being hooked up to a life support machine? Imagine when you open your eyes the first thing you see is a ceiling, and you will see that same ceiling for the next few hours until a nurse comes and move your head. When your head gets moved, your next view is a wall with a mirror and sink.

Believe me, this will be the highlight of your day until your family comes at 3 p.m. to visit. Now, imagine you have an itch and you can't move to scratch the itch and you can't tell anybody because you can't talk!

You can't even wipe your eyes if they get sore or dry, you can't move your legs if you get a cramp.

Your family will try to keep your spirits up and try to make you laugh. They will read the paper and tell jokes and tell you about their day. That's the hardest part. Knowing that you are not part of the family any more.

When they leave, you try and not let them see how upset and miserable you are. That's when your tears will come. You can't even wipe your eyes until a nurse comes and does that for you.

I JUST WANT TO GO HOME.

Please let me go back to my family for somewhat of a normal life. Let me plan my wedding. Let me have happiness.

It took David one week to write this letter that has taken me one minute to read aloud to the Chamber.

I believe that David Garvey, his family and his fiancee are entitled to some happiness. Surely it is not beyond the ken of the system for this matter to be brought to some kind of a satisfactory conclusion whereby he can allowed to go home.

I know the family are very appreciate of the support they have received from the HSE and from Beaumont Hospital, which I also want to put on the record. I ask for this to be brought to some kind of a satisfactory conclusion where commitments that were previously made can be honoured and David can be allowed to come home to be cared for by his family and by the staff of the HSE.

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