Limited rights and a cruel sense of justice

IN 1994 the Minister for Health introduced the patients’ charter. It outlines the rights of the hospital patient — the right to access hospital services, the right to visitors, the right to privacy, the right to complain, etc.

On Monday night RTÉ’s Primetime highlighted the fact that people with intellectual disability have these rights too, but no rights to intellectual services.

This is an appalling reflection on our wealthy little country with its cruel sense of justice and attitude to some of our most fragile people.