Media coverage leads to State finding psychiatrist to assess Waterford mother charged with murder of son, 6

Matthew Healy was found unresponsive near Rathmoylan Cove, Dunmore East, and was later pronounced dead at University Hospital Waterford.

Media coverage of difficulties faced by the State in finding a psychiatrist to assess a mother charged with the murder of her six-year-old son led an Australia-based mental health professional to offer his services, a court has heard.

Lawyers for the State had unsuccessfully tried to attain the services of more than 10 psychiatrists before the Irish-born professional came forward after reading coverage of the State's difficulties online.

Brendan Grehan, prosecuting, on Wednesday told Mr Justice Paul McDermott that "it might appear sometimes that nobody is listening to what is happening in here" concerning the difficulty with engaging psychiatrists to provide assessments of accused persons.

However, Mr Grehan said the case of Ruth Purcell Healy had received "some media coverage" when it was last before the court. 

Counsel said that a forensic psychiatrist, who is from Ireland but is based in Australia, had "made contact" to indicate he could make himself available to assess the accused woman.

On November 19, the senior counsel told the judge that despite the best efforts of his solicitor, the prosecution has been unable to attain the services of a consultant forensic psychiatrist in Ireland to prepare a psychiatric report on the accused woman in response to a defence psychiatric report.

Last month, Mr Justice McDermott expressed his sympathy to the boy's "unfortunate" father who had attended court over 13 times only to be told there was further delay in engaging a forensic psychiatrist to assess his wife, Ms Purcell Healy.

'Completely unacceptable'

Mr Justice McDermott said on that date it was "completely unacceptable" that the State was not in a position to facilitate the trial process in securing psychiatric assessments within the State but remarked that he could only express his frustration with this "inadequacy". 

The judge said he hoped the executive "will act" to provide the services and set up "a reliable structure" for psychiatric assessments to see whether a mental condition could have played a role in a defendant's alleged offending.

Ruth Purcell Healy, aged 37, of Bishops Field, Williamstown, Waterford, is charged with the murder of her six-year-old son Matthew Healy on February 9, 2024. 

The child was found unresponsive around midnight near Rathmoylan Cove, Dunmore East, and was later pronounced dead at University Hospital Waterford.

Although psychiatric issues are explored in as many as 20% of murder trials in Ireland, there is no legal obligation for HSE-employed psychiatrists to provide assessments for criminal cases.

While the Central Mental Hospital has a panel of experienced forensic psychiatrists employed by the HSE, they are under no contractual obligation to provide reports for either prosecution or defence teams. 

Currently, there is no definitive panel of psychiatrists available to lawyers to conduct assessments.

Addressing Mr Justice McDermott, the judge overseeing the trial list at the Central Criminal Court, Mr Grehan said his solicitor had been in contact with the forensic psychiatrist. 

Counsel said that "in terms of a timetable", the psychiatrist wanted to see the accused in person but would do an initial assessment via video-link.

Counsel said it would be Easter time before the psychiatrist is able to assess Ms Purcell Healy in person, with a view to having the report at the end of May and a trial date at the end of June or July.

Counsel added: "While it is not the best timetable, it is a timetable, and will give some certainty in relation to matters".

Mr Grehan said the overseas-based psychiatrist had indicated he would be back in Ireland for the months of May, June, and July.

Mr Justice McDermott said he was "very grateful" to the psychiatrist for his intervention and would list the matter for mention on February 25 "with a view of working towards a trial date".