Helen O'Driscoll thinks parents should be told of children's medication
The mother of twin boys who were stabbed to death by their older brother, who then took his own life, says she thinks parents should be better informed of their children's medication.
It emerged that 21-year-old Jonathan O'Driscoll had been off his tablets for a number of days before he stabbed nine-year-old twins, Thomas and Patrick, more than 40 times each at their home in Charleville, Co Cork, last September.
Doctors do not have to inform parents of their children's medication once they are no longer minors.
Their mother Helen O'Driscoll says she would have monitored Jonathan if she had known.
Helen said: "I think the age barrier of confidentiality for an adult, they call them adults now from 18 upwards, I think that should stop.
Helen went on to state that she didn't know how sick Jonathan was, saying that she didn't know how much medication he was on: "No I did not know.
"I think their parents have the right to know if they're suffering with some sort of a problem or if they have whatever kind of sickness that they have... They'll look more clearly.
"Whereas, if you don’t know what he is taking or what medication he's on, you don’t know what's from day to day.
"They reckon he didn't take any medication for about a week when he died."
