The South Western Area Health Board asked the High Court yesterday to discharge an extremely disturbed boy from the Ballydowd special care unit at Lucan, Co Dublin. It admitted it had no alternative place for the boy.
The board claimed the boy was a danger to himself and others and Ballydowd was no longer able to deal with him.
The 16-year-old boy has had difficulties throughout his life, but his behaviour seriously deteriorated following his parents' separation some years ago. He began to abuse alcohol and drugs.
The District Court recommended in November 2000 that the boy be placed in a secure unit and that led to lawyers for the boy taking High Court proceedings aimed at securing such a place. The boy was placed in the Ballydowd unit in June last year.
Mr Justice Finnegan was told yesterday the boy's behaviour had seriously deteriorated since January. He had been before the District Court charged with causing criminal damage to the Ballydowd unit and had secured bail on that charge on Thursday. When he was returned by gardaí to the unit early yesterday, he was under the influence of alcohol, had punched a garda in the face and was verbally abusive to staff and gardaí.
Mr Cormac Corrigan SC, for the boy, suggested the board had hoped the boy would be remanded in custody on Thursday.
Mr Justice Finnegan made an order detaining the boy in St Patrick's Institution. Stressing this was a short-term solution, he said he would return the case to Tuesday.