A senior psychologist and expert on autism told the High Court yesterday she did not believe a 22-year-old man, who is said to be autistic and has sued the State for its failure to provide him with appropriate education, is actually autistic.
Dr Rita Honan, principal psychologist with the Eastern Health Board and director of autistic services for the EHB region, said she had observed Mr Jamie Sinnott during a visit lasting 11/2 hours at his home in Co Cork last November.
Her opinion was that Mr Sinnott fell within the severely mentally handicapped range of cognitive functioning and not on the autistic spectrum. She believed he was socially responsive on that occasion and interested in events around him, unlike a person with severe autism.
Dr Honan said he was in need of significant therapeutic input which would be best delivered in a group setting.
She was giving evidence in the continuing action by Mr Sinnott and his mother, Ms Kathryn Sinnott, of Ballinhassig, Co Cork, against the Minister for Education and the State.
They are seeking declarations that the State has breached their constitutional rights through failing to give Mr Sinnott adequate primary education to date, orders directing that such education be provided now and damages.
Earlier yesterday, Prof Barry Carpenter, chief executive and principal of the Sunfield special needs school in the UK, said he had seen the files on Mr Sinnott's education and did not regard these as adequate. If he was inspecting the file in his previous role as an education inspector, it would not meet the basic standards he would require.
In his view, Mr Sinnott required intensive intervention now to remedy his lack of appropriate education to date.
The case resumes on Monday.