A High Court judge has given a health board one final week to find an appropriate place for a troubled teenage boy, whose case for appropriate care has been before the courts since 1995 and who is now being detained in St Patrick's Institution.
The boy's parents are dead and he has been in the voluntary care of the Northern Area Health Board since he was eight years old. He has been placed in a number of units and centres and is currently in remand in St Patrick's on charges of the larceny of two cans of aftershave. His case has been adjourned by the District Court on several occasions in order to see will the boy's High Court proceedings yield a more appropriate place for him.
In allowing the one week adjournment of the boy's High Court proceedings yesterday, Mr Justice McKechnie warned that unless the NAHB could show exceptional circumstances otherwise, there would be no further adjournments and the boy's action seeking appropriate care and accommodation would proceed.
Earlier, Mr Barry O'Donnell, for the NAHB, said the board was seeking to identify an appropriate place for the boy. Balcurris Boys' Home in Ballymun was a possible option. Another possible option was the Ballydowd special care unit and a place might be available there early next week.
Ms Gráinne Mullan, for the boy, said she believed it was highly unlikely he would receive a custodial sentence and was most anxious the issue of his care should be resolved.
Ms Mullan said the boy's court-appointed guardian had strong views against him being placed in Balcurris. At this point, she believed the issue of his care could only be resolved through a full High Court hearing.