Mother may face court in care fight

THE mother of a 22-year-old crippled by severe cerebral palsy could be forced into the High Court in the coming days in her long-running effort to get him round-the-clock care in his home.

Robert Mulligan from Lucan, Co Dublin, has severe dyskinetic cerebral palsy. Yesterday, his distraught mother, Ann, was to attend a case conference with health officials in a bid to settle the matter out of court.

But no nurse was available at the last minute to provide back-up care, leaving her stranded at her Dublin home.

The case conference went ahead without her. All the health board would say last night is that matters had been discussed and “discussions between the parties will follow”.

Nobody contacted the full-time carer to let her know what had happened.

“This is typical of what goes on. I care for Robert full-time and couldn’t go because no nurse was available,” Ann Mulligan said last night.

“Some days are grand, other times I can go a full 24 hours without sleep and needing to constantly care for him.

“I am his arms and legs, I have to feed him and care for his toilet needs as well as give him his daily medication and any pain-killers he might need.”

The separated mother of one can’t remember the last time she was out for a night, had her hair done or went on a holiday.

“You just don’t get to do those things. It can be very, very hard.

“I want Robert to be cared for in the home but they have institutionalised us both by not providing him with the care and support we need.”

The case conference was held in a crisis bid to compel the South Western Area Health Board and Health Minister Micheál Martin to provide her son with the 24-hour care he needs.

The case came before the High Court on August 11 when counsel for the health board and the minister were granted an adjournment until September 8 - in the hope of finding an out-of-court resolution and saving the Mulligan family the trauma of having to tell their case in open court.

The 22 year-old is totally dependant on others for care and suffers from one of the most severe forms of cerebral palsy, as well as scoliosis and Gilbert’s syndrome, a liver disorder.

Robert Mulligan also has breathing difficulties and his airways need to be frequently suctioned. He also needs a daily enema and cannot speak.