Brain injury families forced to UK

UP to a hundred Irish families are paying to have their brain injured child put on a rehabilitation programme in Britain because the service is not available in their area.

British charity Brainwave said yesterday it had been inundated with calls from worried parents who could not get the treatment they need in Ireland.

"We cannot cope with the number of calls for the Irish assessments," said a Brainwave spokesperson. The British clinic estimates that up to three Irish children a week are brought for treatment from Ireland.