John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will add my voice. The whistleblower in this case made a disclosure to me and, in turn, I brought it to the attention of Pearse Street Garda station, which I was obliged to do. I have had one telephone call since making that public disclosure. Following that, I met a local sergeant who told me that there was no body of evidence on which to bring forward a prosecution. At least, that is what the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, had stated. This is extraordinary. As Deputy Deasy mentioned, 47 families are involved. The social worker involved who has been very professional and deeply concerned has fought the system for years to try to represent one of the individuals concerned.

After reading the paperwork on these cases, one feels sick.

It is also disturbing that it can take place in this country and that the particular foster home was receiving vulnerable individuals with profound intellectual disabilities from the health boards at that time and another agency dealing with such cases. Independently and at the same time, State agencies were told there was deep concern about the individuals involved by the UK authorities. Having had the matter reported and raised within the HSE and then publicly at a HSE conference, nothing happened. The questions raised before the committee related to the cost of reports. The costs in this instance are insignificant. However, the issue came to our attention on foot of the costs involved, value-for-money issues and so on. When Deputy Deasy and I raised the matter with HSE officials, their response clearly demonstrated the culture that still exists within State agencies to circle the wagons and defend the organisation at all costs, regardless of what further damage that might do to citizens or the organisation in question. We have had this in the Fannin and Cantwell cases, the north Meath organisation and, indeed, with some of the universities. This culture is demonstrated in clear terms when it comes to issues within the HSE.

The rebuttal, to which Deputy Deasy referred, is dated 21 January 2016. I am not aware of the detail outlined by the Deputy but I am absolutely appalled that, at this late date, such a line of defence would continue. It is perverse and insane that the organisation would continue down this road when it should address the professional needs of those who were sexually or otherwise abused and try to identify - within the organisation - why this was not uncovered. The lady in question turned up and acted out sexual acts on the prompt of a word. She is profoundly intellectually disabled. The fact that we are discussing this issue might put pressure on the Garda and the HSE to bring about action on it that would show a State that is compassionate and that has retained some humanity. I would like to believe that there is at least that much left in the State.

At the last count, when we were dealing with the other four cases, I suggested that because we are coming to the end of the Dáil term and in order for this to continue, we should minute this issue comprehensively, as we would do, from today and send a copy to the Taoiseach's office to bring to attention of Government the failings of the State in the cases Deputy Deasy has outlined, to ask it - at this late stage - to address them and to deal with the inaccuracies in this correspondence from the HSE. We cannot stand by and have these individuals who have been deeply affected by this left without professional help and without knowing that they will get that help. I support the Deputy and I ask the committee to recommend that the HSE be responded to in the context of this discussion. I also recommend that our correspondence on this be forwarded to the Taoiseach's office for information in order that, in terms of the reform, it knows about this. That is the least we can do.