Longford judge highlights psychiatric services health care issue during court case

A judge said the 'issue with regard to people and the psychiatric services is a screening out process as opposed to a screening in process' during the case of a South Longford man last week.

The screening and intake processes in Irish psychiatric services have received significant criticism in recent weeks and months with some reports claiming young people are being 'screened out' or denied access to care.

The 35 year-old man, appeared in Longford District Court charged with two public order breaches at Townparks, Longford and of obstructing a garda at the same location on October 13 last.

The defendant was also charged with criminal damage to a Longford Garda Station cell on the same date.

Judge Bernadette Owens heard a bench warrant had been issued for his arrest after he failed to attend a previous hearing.

The defendant's uncle said his nephew had been living with him until the morning of the court hearing on Tuesday, February 17.

"There is no problem with him except our house is awful crowded, we have old age pensioners, a daughter and a child.
"He needs supervision to take his medication and without it he just goes AWOL."

"Over the last fortnight I've helped to get him into Cuan Mhuire in Bruree [county Limerick for addiction treatment], they couldn't deal with him there.

"They had 600 people taken in in the last 12-months and it was the worst it could be.

"He doesn't have anywhere else to live."

The defendant's uncle said his nephew's mother and his sister are not able to look after him.

"He can't even have a glass of wine with his medication but he doesn't understand.

"I've tried to have him voluntarily admitted but he doesn't meet the threshold, two GPs said they couldn't sign the forms to have him admitted.

"There's a court issue in relation to involuntary admission at the moment and that's the reason the medical people don't want him.
"But, [he] needs help."

However, Judge Bernadette Owens said she presumed the court issue referred to was 'what we heard about last week, that there is a judicial review pending'.

"As far as I am concerned the issue with regard to people and the psychiatric services is a screening out process as opposed to a screening in process,” she added.

Solicitor Diarmuid Quinn, defending, said the unfortunate thing was they did not have an address for his client currently.

The defendant then addressed Judge Owens and said he was concerned he was 'going to go homeless again'.
Judge Owens said she had a lot of sympathy for his position.

"It's very difficult for you to go back again to being homeless, specially when you have a mental health difficulty."
"The last time we made progress under Dr [Benjamin] O'Keefe."

Judge Owens decided to revoke the defendant's bail and she remanded him in custody with consent to bail on his own bond of €100.

She stated the defendant had to provide an address prior to his release and sign on three times per week at his nearest garda station.

Judge Owens also imposed a curfew and she directed that a psychiatric report is compiled on the defendant while he is in custody.

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