Kamil Pustkowski’s mother, Emilia Pustkowska, says she repeatedly sought help from Tusla as her autistic teenage son’s behaviour became increasingly difficult to manage before he died in the M9 crash. She argues that parents can be left responsible for vulnerable 16- and 17-year-olds while lacking the legal ability to compel them into treatment, school attendance or supervision, raising broader questions about youth justice and child-protection support.

Pustkowska said Tusla advised her to keep Kamil at home but told her she could not use force, which she described as an impossible position given his size and refusal to engage. The family first contacted the agency in March 2025 after Kamil became drunk at school; she says staff never visited their home and contact remained by phone, including shortly before the crash. She had also asked a court to detain him after he pleaded guilty to offences, but says the hearing was delayed by the solicitors’ strike; she expressed sympathy for those injured and said she hoped changes could help other families.