Nurses concerned about high-security patient in Ennis

The Psychiatric Nurses' Association has expressed serious concern about the cost and dangers of holding a high-security patient at Ennis General Hospital.

The man, who is suffering from a mental illness and has a criminal history, was admitted to the acute psychiatric unit in Ennis more than a year ago.

The HSE is paying €950 a day to employ security staff to watch him, and the total bill now stands at more than €330,000.

The PNA said there is no specialised care in the west of Ireland to treat the man, and that the District Court had been unable to have him admitted to the Central Mental Hospital in Dublin.