Parents angry at a lack of services for mentally handicapped people say they will maintain a public protest in Dublin until their demands are met.
The protest began outside the headquarters of the Eastern Regional Health Authority yesterday.
It was led by Ms Cathleen O'Neill who is seeking a suitable placement for her autistic son, Sean (18).
When the group arrived at the ERHA headquarters at Dr Steevens's Hospital, officials told her they had found a suitable place at Sunbeam House in Bray, Co Wicklow. She is to visit Sunbeam House with her son to see whether it is suitable for him.
But the protest will remain, she said, and will be joined today by other parents. Their demands include an end to the practice of accommodating mentally handi capped people in psychiatric institutions.
The parents also want an interdepartmental group to be set up to examine ways to deal with shortfalls in services for people with mental handicap.
The Minister for Health and Children, Mr Martin, has promised to eliminate waiting lists for residential and day places within three years. The ERHA says its three constituent health boards will provide 200 new residential places, 212 new day places and 56 new respite places this year.
The Northern Area Health Board, which is dealing with Mr O'Neill's case, insisted the offer of accommodation at Sunbeam House was unconnected with the protest.
It said the problem arose because a place which it had arranged for Mr O'Neill at a centre run by the Irish Society for Autism was withdrawn by the ISA.
The ISA has denied this, saying that while it conducted an assessment on Mr O'Neill "we didn't guarantee him a place because we didn't have a place".
Mr O'Neill was cared for in a Camphill Community - which caters for people up to 18 years of age - in Northern Ireland for more than 10 years.
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