Aftercare plan for youth accused of assaulting staff at Limerick facility cost €200k

A BESPOKE care plan for a youth who is accused of assaulting a number of employees at a special care facility in Limerick cost almost €200,000 before its funding was pulled.

Details of the aftercare package were revealed by Tusla after the 18-year-old appeared in court charged in relation to a number of offences which are alleged to have occurred at Coovagh House on Mulgrave Street.

The defendant was detained at the facility at the time of the alleged offences as he was the subject of a High Court Special Care Order.

At Limerick District Court, gardai objected to bail expressing concerns the youth did not have a permanent address and would engage in further criminality.

A manager with Tusla gave evidence that the defendant was placed in a “bespoke facility” in Dundalk, County Louth after he turned 18 last July.

As part of the package, a service provider was contracted by the child and family agency to provide two specially-trained staff at the house 24/7.

However, the package, which cost €8,500 a week, was discontinued just before Christmas after the defendant damaged the house and refused to allow the care staff back in. He also threatened them and damaged a second house while repairs were being carried out.

After the youth was evicted from his accomodation and the aftercare package formally discontinued, efforts were made to secure emergency accommodation for him.

However, none could be found given his previous convictions and his propensity to carry out arson attacks.

Judge Marian O’Leary was told the defendant’s behaviour had “escalated” in the weeks before Christmas after he began taking drugs.

Seeking bail, solicitor Tom Kiely said his client was a “vulnerable young man with specific needs” and that prison was “not the right place for him”.

Solicitor Muiris Gavin, representing Tusla, said his client had done everything it could and that there was no prospect of a new care package being made available for the defendant.

While accepting the situation is difficult, Sergeant Donal Cronin said gardai were obliged to object to bail given the “high degree of risk of future offending”.

However, Judge O’Leary granted bail subject to the defendant providing gardai with a satisfactory address.