Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am not a member of this committee. I think Mr. O'Brien needs to explain things much better. I think he needs to take accountability and responsibility right up the line. I do not know who is in charge of disability services in the HSE, and if that person is here, I am not being personal but I am deeply unhappy about the outcome of the efforts of the HSE.

The HSE spoke about protecting whistleblowers. Practically every one of those 930 individual complaints that are on the record speak about the fear of the person who made the complaint. If they are working for the HSE, they are in fear that they will lose their jobs, if they are resident in the institution or if a member of their family is in the institution, they are fearful that the resident will be kicked out of the institution and in some cases, when a complaint was made, the resident has been put on notice to leave.

It has been stated that the HSE will pay more attention to complaints and will have designated officers who will accept complaints, but at present the HSE is the body accountable to take complaints. I may have misunderstood but I understood Mr. Healy to say that we will have to check if the complaints have been looked at. I see no sense of urgency and commitment or a sense that the HSE is demanding change from what has been said today.

Are the officials aware of other investigations into HSE facilities? I have a further point, and I thank the Chairman for giving me leeway. Will there be another meeting about Áras Attracta and related issues so that we get answers to these questions? Complaints have been made about physical, sexual, psychological and financial abuse - all cases of appalling abuse - and that nothing has changed. Let me stress that I do not know the different institutions, but they all have been inspected by HIQA. It goes back to the case at Leas Cross. There has been no real change. I am very concerned and I would like the HSE to address those issues.