An appeal was made in the Dáil for Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to make funding available to send an autistic boy whose case was heard in the High Court, to an appropriate facility in Bangor, Wales.
Socialist TD Joe Higgins asked that the State "short-circuit the long history of this family's difficulties and make the funding available for Lewis O'Carolan to attend the Bangor centre".
He said that Lewis and about 20 other children with a similar severity of autism could be assisted and he pointed out that it cost €250,000 a year to keep young offenders in State facilities.
"However, it would cost less to cater for a child in Bangor."
Mr Higgins and a number of independent deputies had met the O'Carolan family, who family were yesterday granted legal costs in their failed High Court bid to have him placed in Bangor.
Mr Higgins said that High Court cases had been taken because "the State has failed parents in these difficult circumstances".
Mr Ahern said he was "deeply distressed after hearing the O'Carolan's discuss their son's situation" and he did not doubt that it was "extremely painful for the parents to see their autistic children in distress on a daily basis".
It was a pity such issues ended up in court and the State "would rather not be in this position in the first place".
It was regrettable that an agreement acceptable to the O'Carolan family was not possible. The professionals involved believe that the care plan at the Woodlawn centre in north Dublin was the best option.
"An individual education plan will be drawn up for Lewis to be delivered by a specialist teacher with the support of a special needs assistant and, where appropriate, support from nursing staff, care assistants and teachers."
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