A 22-year-old profoundly autistic man and his mother have been awarded more than £250,000 in the High Court. The court found that the State failed to provide Jamie Sinnott with a primary education even though it had a constitutional obligation to do so. Mr Justice Barr said that Mr Sinnott had suffered grievously as a result. Jamie's mother, Kathy Sinnott, from Cork, spent the past 22 years fighting for recognition for autism, before finally suing the Department of Education.
The State had claimed that Jamie had received education and said that it was not obliged to provide free primary education past the age of 18. Mr Justice Barr said that the State's obligation for providing primary education and training for a severely disabled child should continue for as long as the child needed it. He said that there was nothing in the Constitution to say that the obligation should end at the age of 18. He awarded Jamie Sinnott and his mother £255,000 and said that it was now proper that Jamie should have the best education and training. The case is to be reviewed in April 2003 when further damages may be awarded.
