Family forced to restrain suicidal son in home due to lack of services

A family in Wexford town say they are being forced to physically restrain their 27-year-old son at home to prevent him attempting suicide for a third time, because the HSE claim he is not in need of acute psychiatric care.

The man’s brother claims that he poses a serious danger to himself and others because he is in a very distressed state. His 62-year-old mother has been forced to prevent him from leaving the house.

He is addicted to heroin and became homeless recently. During recent days he has punched his mother in the ribs and bit another brother, who had to go to A&E for a tetanus shot because of his use of needles.