A young woman with an intellectual disability who was removed from her home due to safeguarding concerns raised following the death of her mother has been made a ward of the High Court.
Wardship proceedings were initiated by the HSE in September after a social worker in the local disability team flagged concerns that led to the woman being placed in a respite centre.
A High Court wardship is designed to protect a person and their property when they lack the capacity to do so themselves.
The woman, who has been diagnosed with a moderate intellectual disability and autism, lived at home with her stepfather after her mother became ill and died some months ago.
Intoxicated male
According to the social worker, an unknown, intoxicated male was present at the home and making inappropriate and sexualised remarks towards the young woman and the social worker when she visited one morning to help the woman get ready for school.
During the summer visit, the social worker found the woman in a state of undress in her room, which the worker thought was unusual. She said the stepfather was largely unresponsive at the kitchen table, on which there were empty cans of beer and what she thought was an empty bottle of spirits.
Counsel for the HSE told the court the woman has some extended relatives who will participate in the wardship process, but they are not in a position to care for her.
Acting as the woman’s court-appointed guardian ad litem, whose role is to voice her best interests, solicitor Aileen Curry said she met with the woman earlier this month at her new placement, which, she said, is “everything I hoped it would be and more”.
Ms Curry said the woman seems settled and not in any way distressed in the facility, which is a small residential centre for people with disabilities.
“This is, in effect, [her] home now and it does seem to me entirely suitable for her needs,” Ms Curry added.
High Court President David Barniville welcomed the “extremely positive” reports on the woman’s current situation.
He said two doctors and the High Court’s medical visitor were unanimous in their view that the woman is of unsound mind and unable to manage her own affairs.
On this evidence, and noting there was no objection to the petition, Mr Justice Barniville was satisfied it was appropriate to bring the woman under the court’s wardship protection.
The court heard the woman is entitled to a small inheritance of just over €1,200 of her late mother’s estate. The judge directed that the sum should be lodged in court for the woman’s benefit.
