The court heard the boy has been leaving his placement, taking drugs and putting himself and others at risk. File photograph: GettyThe HSE “will have blood on their hands” if a highly vulnerable child in State care and in need of urgent psychiatric treatment “is not alive and safe on Monday”, a Dublin District Court judge has said. The court heard the boy has been leaving his placement, taking drugs and putting himself and others at risk. Fiona McNulty, solicitor for Tusla, told the court there had been a “noted deterioration” in the child’s presentation in recent days. Will he be alive on Monday morning?”All he could do, he said, was list the case for mention on Monday “for an update to ensure the child is still alive”.

Source: The Irish Times March 20, 2026 23:36 UTC