This matter relates to a 19 year old youth who suffers from a mild mental handicap. Essentially he suffers from a chromosome disorder called Kinfelter Syndrome. The main behavioural characteristics of this syndrome is that the boy is immature, suffers from nervousness, excessive shyness, tends to be aggressive and tends to get involved in anti-social behaviour. Physically he is tall, underweight, with long legs and his appearance is somewhat different from normal boys of that age. The youth has very basic academic skills and has been classified as being very immature. He tends to be over-familiar in social terms with adults and is very easily led. He is naive about the consequences of his actions and in the attitude which he adopts to those actions. He needs close supervision and his parents have made a great attempt to provide that supervision but it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain the level of supervision which is required for this young man as he becomes more adult. The position is now almost impossible for his parents.
I am raising this matter following representations from his parents, particularly following representations from the parents which relate to an incident which took place on 21 July this year. On that day this youth, in effect, escaped from his residence, made his way into the centre of Dublin and became involved with people who hung around pubs and such facilities. He was lured away to a flat in the centre of the city where he became involved in what one of the experts described as an inappropriate sexual experience with a male adult. One can figure out the type of person involved. This is the second occasion on which this young man has been involved in that type of experience. For that reason I am appealing to the Minister to take some action which will ensure that this young man is not exposed to this type of incident.
This is a particularly difficult situation which is being made worse by the social problems experienced by the family of this young man. I spoke to the father this evening and he said that he did not object to my saying that he is a recovered alcoholic. The boy's mother suffers from a series of other disorders. The family in effect are now almost running a prison for this young man. I am advised that there is a very serious risk of this boy becoming involved in similar type incidents unless he is placed in an appropriate institution.
I know that it is not easy to get an institution to cater for this young man's requirements, but it is essential that action be taken. I am asking the Minister to try to do something about it. The parents are at their wits end wondering and worrying about when he will next escape from the house and become involved in an incident similar to the one which took place on 21 July.
