An appeal has been lodged against a 90-day prison sentence handed down to a member of the Church of Scientology for verbally abusing an autism campaigner over the phone.

Five years after the completion of a €1.3m residential centre for adults with autism, the Co Kerry facility remains unoccupied.

Hiqa is demanding legislation to protect those most at risk in the country’s care services from abuse, harm, and exploitation, after it found inappropriate staff behaviour, and unsafe practices across institutions.

The country’s oldest autism charity has admitted to difficulties getting services up to standard after its three residential facilities were taken out of its control by the HSE.

Disabled people in a care home had to use their own money to buy bedroom furniture and extra snacks and drinks for a special diet, inspectors have revealed.

WHEN Susan Crawford’s son Tomás was three years old, his autism, diagnosed a year earlier, began to show itself in more ways than one.

The Government is being accused of lagging behind other EU countries when it comes to basic services for autism.

A COMBINATION of pedal power and sheer grit from nearly 6,000 charity fundraisers has helped to raise a huge sum of money for worthy causes.

MILK plays an active role in a healthy diet and a balanced metabolism, effectively helping people lose weight by boosting their energy levels, according to dietitian and TV presenter Paula Mee.

CYCLING enthusiasts have been urged to get on their bikes over the coming weeks in an attempt to help raise vital funds for a string of essential Kerry charities.

Caroline O’Doherty

SEVEN-YEAR-OLD John Stratford used to stand on top of the washing machine screaming at his mother and pointing to a press overhead.

FESTOONED with roses, Dublin’s Ha’penny Bridge brightened the day for passersby yesterday.

PARENTS of hundreds of severely disabled children struggling to meet care costs are to have their Government aid reduced in the latest Department of Health cutbacks.

MOTHERS who smoke regularly during pregnancy are 40% more likely to have autistic children, new research claims.