Boy with autism in adult psych hospital

A 14-year-old boy with severe autism boy has been housed by the HSE in an unused block of an adult psychiatric hospital for more than a week while efforts are made to find a suitable placement.

The boy, who has significant behavioural issues, is in a shutdown ward at St Stephen’s Psychiatric Hospital, Sarsfield’s Court, Glanmire, Co Cork.

He is the only patient in the block. The HSE said the unit was occupied by services until recently — believed to be April.