A LEADING consultant psychiatrist has hit out at the lack of forensic psy- chiatric services available outside of Dublin.
Clare-based psychiatrist Dr John O’Mahony made the comments in court on Friday, as he gave evidence in the case of one of his clients.
He told Ennis District Court that there was a “paucity of places in Ire- land” for those requesting the serv- ices of a consultant psychiatrist.
He spoke out in the wake of the rev-
elation last month that two people in Clare had waited for six months for appointments with a forensic psy- chiatrist.
“The HSE for all its promises of change, this country sadly is deficient in facilities for the condition this man sadly suffers from,” he said.
‘The forensic mental health service is sadly deficient in this country…in- adequately funded. If you live outside the Pale, there is little in terms of an adequate forensic mental service.
“T’ve a very clear idea of what this man needs. I know where it can be
got but the HSE has chosen not to provide this outside Dublin.
“West of the Shannon there’s no fo- rensic mental service,’ he said.
He said that forensic psychiatrist Dr Ananth Pullela had provided a serv- ice in Limerick up until recently, but that was a “one-man and not a mean- ingful service”.
David Mulcaire, of St Senan’s Road, Ennis was re-appearing in court on theft charges. He has been in court on several occasions on the charges and is currently an inpatient at Ennis General Hospital.
Previously the court heard that Mul- caire suffered a serious brain trauma in 1999, when he was hit in the head with a concrete block.
Two psychiatrists gave conflicting evidence on that occasion on whether he was fit to plead. He had pleaded with the court not to send him to the Central Mental Hospital in Dun- drum.
Dr O’Mahony said on Friday that the issue centered on “fitness to plead” and said Mulcaire required “an intense level of care’’.
He said he had discussions with
Nationwide Health Resources prior to the court sitting that morning.
“They are willing to do an assess- ment of Mr Mulcaire next week.”
He pointed out that a specialist was to travel from the UK to carry out an assessment on Mr Mulcaire this Neto) e
Judge Joseph Mangan said that Mulcaire had “departed from the criminal sphere to the psychiatric sphere”.
He adjourned the case until the end of March, remanding Mulcaire on continuing bail.