Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I had planned on raising a different issue, but I got an email last night from a woman in Wexford called Jane Johnston, who is the mother of two severely autistic children, Daniel and Evan. She is at the end of her wits from trying to deal with the HSE. I will read a little of her email:

Evan is now 17 years old and was diagnosed with severe autism just before his third birthday. He did not develop any speech, and remains non-verbal, but has excellent comprehension. He has significant mobility issues, and due to a degenerative eye condition he also has significant visual impairment. Evan lost his dad due to a sudden cardiac arrest almost three years ago. His brother, Daniel, also has significant autism. Evan has been the survivor of more tragedy in his 17 years than most of us will witness in a lifetime. He never stops trying, and he has the same lust for life and adventure as any other boy his age. He deserves respect, the right to dignity, and to live the best life he can, but he is seen and treated as an inconvenience and a problem to our health service because he is different, and difference comes at a cost. Banners around our town in Wexford tell us that it is okay to ask for help, but since my husband passed away I have had to ask for help for the very survival of my family. I have been threatened with foster care, [and was] advised to call the Garda if Evan has a meltdown because the HSE failed to give him the support he needs. When I took issue with these threats I was told that I could be referred to Tusla in the absence of my consent.

A few months ago, when announcing the creation of additional and long overdue special needs assistant, SNA posts, the Taoiseach said, "Fine Gael in Government is determined to ensure that our recovering economy will pay dividends for all, particularly the most vulnerable".

The Taoiseach added that this announcement reflects the programme for Government commitment to ensure that all children with special needs can maximise their potential.

When the HSE encourages a parent to call gardaí to take into custody an autistic teenager who might develop behavioural problems at a time when the HSE has shut down for the weekend, does that sound as if it might maximise the potential of that child? For the autistic teenager who thrives on routine and who just needed to get out of the house for a few hours in a given week, but could not because the HSE would not provide respite care, does the Taoiseach think the psychological impact of being forcibly restrained and dragged away by untrained, unknown gardaí might maximise the potential of that child? When the parent says he or she will not call the Garda and the HSE manager then threatens to refer him or her to Tusla in the absence of his or her consent, does that sound as it if might maximise the potential of that parent's child? Is it fair on the gardaí who are already under-resourced and, more importantly, untrained in how to handle vulnerable children with special needs?

We have a serious problem with the HSE in Wexford, and the most vulnerable are the people who are being treated the worst. I have put four questions to the Taoiseach. How much potential is there for him to hold the HSE to account on these matters?

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