Dominic died four days after asking for psychiatric help

The brother of a man who died in unexplained circumstances four days after he had begged to be taken into psychiatric care has called for more funding in mental health.

Rory Kiernan was speaking after an open verdict was returned at the inquest into the death of his brother, Dominic Kiernan, from Bolbrook Villas, Tallaght, Dublin 24. The 45-year-old was found dead in the front garden of his father’s home at Maplewood Park in Tallaght on June 25 last year.

The cause of death remains undetermined despite a forensic autopsy and two toxicology screens being carried out.

Dominic Kiernan had a history of mental illness, having been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and was being treated through HSE psychiatric services in Tallaght. He was attended regularly by a home care team.

Dublin Coroner’s Court had heard that, four days before his death, Dominic Kiernan took an overdose and attempted to slit his wrists. He pleaded to be taken into a permanent facility but was told that he would not meet the criteria “because of cutbacks”.

Following his death, the family launched a campaign to reinstate funding for mental health services in the Tallaght area.

Speaking outside the court, Rory Kiernan said his brother had been fine for 15 years when he could regularly access psychiatric facilities.

“Dominic needed full- time care for a while until he got himself back on the straight and narrow and then put back out in the community,” said Rory Kiernan. “That has been taken away because of cutbacks. He used to go into Loman’s for a few weeks, he was in a half-way house for a time. He came out and for about 15 years he was fine. It worked for him but that has all been cut back now. That just wasn’t there anymore.”

Rory Kiernan called on the Government to reverse cutbacks and put more resources into mental health.

“The health services are being cut back to the bone and mental health services really are the Cinderella of the health world,” he said.

The cause of Dominic Kiernan’s death remains undetermined. Deputy State pathologist Michael Curtis carried out the autopsy after concerns were raised about marks on his neck and arms. However, he told the Dublin coroner that the marks were consistent with self-harm and there was no definite evidence of an assault. “Certainly, if he had been assaulted, it had not led to his death,” he said.

An initial toxicology screen found below therapeutic levels of valproic acid, a drug prescribed for Dominic Kiernan’s Parkinsonism, and no alcohol present.

Dr Curtis said he asked for a further screen be carried out for “unknown substances” but this came back negative. “The cause of death has, therefore, not been determined,” he said.

Coroner Brian Farrell said that he had no reason to believe Dominic Kiernan’s death was “unnatural”. He had spoken to the State Laboratory regarding the toxicology screens, he told the family, and they can do no more on it. In the absence of a cause of death, he returned an open verdict.