Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Last night's programme was another example of what we had in Leas Cross some years ago. This was frightening, sickening and infuriating. People will legitimately ask the question, how this could happen in 2014 with trained nurses and health care workers qualified to FETAC level 5. It was not an example of care but an example of control of fragile, vulnerable and voiceless people. I found it sickening.

The situation here is that following a HIQA inspection earlier in the summer, 59 recommendations were made to be implemented and they have all been implemented, including 400 hours of training. Some 100 hours of those 400 hours were allocated here.

As Deputy Martin is aware, a number of investigations are going on at the moment. The television coverage, on which I have commended RTE, has all been handed over to the Garda. I do not want to say anything here that may prejudice, in any way, the outcome of those investigations or whether criminal prosecutions will take place but the rights of these defenceless and voiceless people were trampled on. This was not an example of any kind of standard in terms of care and consideration but was an example of control.

As Deputy Martin will be aware, the chief executive of the HSE wrote to the chief executives of all the service providers and they are being called together next Tuesday because the question being asked is, is this an isolated incident? Can we be assured this has not happened, and is not happening, in any other centre? I mention the report written by Mr. Christy Lynch, chief executive of KARE, who independently chaired the review of the services and who is acknowledged as a genuine expert in this field.

His services are quite exceptional. We cannot afford to have any loss of concentration on what happened. This is absolutely disgraceful. It is appropriate that the HSE would call all those chief executives together early next week. It is also important that the investigations under way be concluded quickly in everybody’s interests, including those in Áras Attracta, some of whom I know, and their families. Many genuine health care workers who take pride in the job they do have had their names and reputations damaged by what happened.

I do not rule out what Deputy Martin says about investigations but it is important that the investigations under way be concluded and that we have an opportunity to discuss them here and that the HSE, the Department and Ministers involved see their outcome. I do not want to prejudice anything that might arise from the investigations currently being concluded by the Garda Síochána.

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