John Whelan (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I take the point and I do not mean any disrespect in that regard. The case pertains to a man to whom I can relate in a personal capacity as he is only 48 years old, which I would regard as very young. For him to be confined to a nursing home for the past 14 years is distressing to me and his family. He has a caring and loving family and his siblings do everything possible for him, although both parents have, unfortunately, passed away. The man has a rare disorder called Kjellin syndrome, which is complicated by a number of other related conditions. The man has been wheelchair-bound since he was 23, and he suffers from deafness and other complications arising from the condition.

The Minister of State will agree that we have a duty of care and responsibility to our citizens. We spend much time here and elsewhere talking about depression, social inclusion, independent living and the importance of people having fulfilled lives, where possible. In this regard I am desperately reaching out and raising this matter as a last resort on the floor of the Seanad. I do not like doing it with individual cases but the family has, unfortunately, hit a dead end in their interaction with the HSE, which is being obstinate in the extreme. It is taking a poor position, to say the least, in this case.

It is clear that this man can live a fulfilled life with peers but he must be transferred urgently to the St. Joseph's home for the deaf in Stillorgan, which has capacity. That has been confirmed by the facility. It would be an ideal location for the man to make a recovery and live an engaging life, as he would be safe among peers with a good quality of life and independence. Otherwise, I fear his condition will deteriorate and he will slide back into needing further care and assistance. It is inappropriate to say that at 48, the man is in a nursing home. I hope the Minister of State will give me and the family some hope for optimism in her reply on behalf of the Department.