Clashing cultures of freedom and control

DARACH Murphy was devastated when his brother Seamus, who has a mild intellectual disability, was admitted to a closed ward at St Ita’s Hospital in Portrane, a north Dublin suburb miles from his home in Glasnevin.

Seamus’s behaviour had over time become challenging as he did not have suitable services near his home, and increasingly, his elderly parents could not cope.

At the time, almost eight years ago, Seamus was working as a labourer with his older brother. Darach was worried about him, though he never believed it would lead to his placement in the residential home where he has lived since.