Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Labour)
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I thank the Minister of State for being here. I very much appreciate it in light of her responsibility for mental health. I know it is an individual case and that people in her position do not like discussing such cases. However, this is a particular case and I am delighted to have the opportunity to raise it today. It concerns Igor Baker, whose father is in the Public Gallery. We are talking about a young man who has been tragically let down by the State since he arrived in Ireland. He was misdiagnosed at the age of 13 as having schizophrenia but he never had the condition. This young man suffers from autism and has basically been residing at the Ashlin Centre in Beaumont Hospital since 30 September 2015. He has violent tendencies and his parents cannot care for him adequately in the family home. Beaumont Hospital realised this, as did every doctor who came into contact with the family. The Minister of State will know that sometimes one comes across these cases where a family is looking for a place. There is a residential unit somewhere and the family wants to either obtain a place or get onto the list for a place. We do our best in those individual circumstances. What strikes me about this case, which is the reason I am raising it, is that everybody involved accepts that this young man cannot live at home. His parents have done their best for him. The Ashlin Centre admitted this young man on 30 September 2015 and he still lives there voluntarily. If he were to walk out onto the street tomorrow morning, there is nothing the hospital or the centre could do stop him.

There is a place for this young man at the newest centre in Kildare, so the issue appears to be funding. That the State, through the Ashlin Centre, is keeping this young man does not make any sense. Why can this funding not be used to give him some chance in a much more appropriate setting at the newest centre? There seems to be a well-meaning conspiracy of convenience here. Everybody knows what needs to be done and that what this young man is going through is not appropriate for his needs. English is not his first language. He needs a sustainable, long-term care plan. I do not know how the other people who live at the newest centre got in there in the first instance. Obviously, they have situations that are similar to that of Igor Baker but funding was acquired to allow them to live at that centre. I cannot think of any case in my political career where everybody agrees what should happen but there seems to be a blockage somewhere. What is it that has permitted the State to allow Igor to remain in Beaumont Hospital, effectively on a day-to-day basis, since 30 September 2015 but that does not allow it to give him, his family and the people who love him the opportunity to access long-term care in a setting that is appropriate to his needs? Obviously, the answer is money but why are we spending so much money to keep him in Beaumont Hospital instead of giving him the chance he needs to live the life he deserves to live in this country surrounded by people who can care for him appropriately and satisfy his family that he is being cared for appropriately?

I know that departmental officials will say that it is an individual case and that they do not like discussing such cases. However, I think the Minister of State will agree that this is a particularly unusual one. The Baker family are private people who do not necessarily want their private matters discussed on the airwaves. They appeared on the Claire Byrne show a number of months ago when the case was discussed. They do not necessarily want this case raised on the floor of the Seanad, the Dáil or anywhere else. They just want a solution. I appeal to the Minister of State to agree with me that what has been done with this young man is inappropriate and we need to find a more appropriate and sustainable solution for him and his family. I would be interested in hearing the Minister of State's thoughts.

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Senator for raising this issue and I welcome Mr. Baker to the Public Gallery.

One of the key aims of the Government is to provide services and supports for people with disabilities. The aim is to empower them to live their own lives, as the Senator rightly put it, and provide them with greater independence so that they can access services, choose to live their lives how they want to and tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. This commitment is outlined in the programme for a partnership Government, which is guided by two principles, namely, equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life of people with disabilities. This is obviously where we want and aim to be. We are a long way off but we must start somewhere.Underlining this Government's commitment to the disability sector, my colleague, the Minister of State with special responsibility for disability issues, Deputy Finian McGrath, recently announced additional funding of €31 million for disability services, including services for people with autism, bringing the total allocation for disability services this year to €1.59 billion. The Estimates were only voted on last week, so we are still waiting to see where that funding will go.

Mr. Baker has a lengthy history of engagement with both child and adolescent and adult mental health services and the Senator might disagree but I have been informed that he has received extensive input and support from the wider multidisciplinary team, which includes home care support, community mental health nurse input, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and social work services. In addition, Mr. Baker has been funded through the disability services for attendance on an outreach basis with the provider Gheel Autism Services, which provides a varied range of services, including day and residential services. He has also been admitted to the north Dublin mental health services acute psychiatric unit, among various things that have happened.

As Senator Ó Ríordáin has pointed out, it is the view of the clinicians involved in Mr. Baker's care that a placement with a private residential care provider, Nua Health Care services, Fethard, County Tipperary, is best placed to meet his needs. The HSE has been in ongoing communications with the family in regard to the funding arrangement for a private placement for Mr Baker. While resources are not infinite in terms of the expenditure incurred in the provision of private placements, all cases are considered on an individual basis and prioritised based on overall clinical need and available financial resources. As Senator Ó Ríordáin has pointed out, all the clinicians have established that the need is there but the finance is still a problem.

Dublin north city and county community health organisation is working proactively with HSE national mental health services to identify the funding arrangements required for this placement and will continue to keep the family informed. I stress that the idea is that we all live in a world where everybody has equal opportunity and should be able to avail of the services we need, irrespective of how much it costs. The Senator has hit the nail on the head: to be crude, it would probably cost much less for Mr. Baker to be in the service he needs to be in, given the amount being spent on where he is now, but the problem is with the fluidity of the funding we have within the Department of Health. There is no fluidity of funding between the different sections within the Department and that is something that needs a great deal of work. It requires a ten-year plan and is something we have started to put in place.

In the interim, I would be happy to meet with Senator Ó Ríordáin and to raise this issue with my colleague, the Minister of State with special responsibility for disability issues, Deputy McGrath. That funding was only voted through in the Estimates last week and it will take time to see where exactly it is going to go but if we can source funding somehow, I will certainly help in whatever way I can.

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Labour)
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I appreciate the Minister of State's comments and her offer to meet with me and, I hope, with the family as well will be well received. I understand what she is saying in that the fact money has been spent in this area does not mean it can easily be shifted over but from her answer, she will certainly agree with me that everybody involved in this case agrees that where he is currently residing is not suitable for him. His family cannot care for him in the family home. He is a strong young man. He is 23 years of age and he has a history of violent outbursts. His parents are at the end of their tether in this regard. Everybody agrees this is the case and I believe the Minister of State agrees with it too.

I know it is an individual case and the Minister of State cannot do this for everybody but I think she will agree with me that this is a particularly unusual and deserving case. If she can find a mechanism for me, her and possibly the Minister of State with special responsibility for disability issues, Deputy McGrath, to sit down with the family and go to the next stage, it would be greatly appreciated. The family would greatly appreciate her intervention.