HSE finds accommodation for gay teens thrown out of homes

THE Health Service Executive in Limerick revealed it helped find accommodation for two teenagers who were thrown out of homes after telling their parents they were gay.

A HSE spokeswoman said: “The story is true.”

The two, both aged 16 and not related, are from the mid-west. The incidents happened in recent months. The spokeswoman said they were aware of the cases and had assisted in placing them in accommodation.

Vanessa Buswell, director of Rainbow Support Services (RSS), which provides support for the gay community in the mid-west, brought the plight of the two teenagers to the attention of the HSE, which then moved to assist.

Emergency accommodation had to be found after they had been told to leave their respective homes.

Ms Buswell said the two were also forced to quit school in order to get work.

The HSE spokeswoman said: “The HSE can confirm that we were informed of their situation by Ms Buswell and that the HSE played a role in getting accommodation for them.”

Ms Buswell has hit out at the refusal of secondary schools in the mid-west to allow RSS give out information to students.

Of the 69 schools in the mid-west they have written to only five had responded.

She also said that since RSS had commenced offering advice to the gay community 22 years ago, they had only received permission to give a workshop in one secondary school in the entire region, and that school was in Co Limerick. Rose Tully of the Irish Parents Council said it was important that gay teenage students had access to all the advice there.

The Association of Secondary Teachers of Ireland said their members feared they could land in trouble with their employers and parents if they ventured down the road of promoting gay advice in schools due the ethos of their schools.

Ms Buswell said she was aware of one experienced teacher in Limerick who has told her he fears revealing that he is gay as it might cost him his job.