Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 5 June 2014

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children

Annual Overview Report on the Regulation of Designated Centres for Older People 2013: HIQA

10:00 am

Photo of Ciara ConwayCiara Conway (Waterford, Labour)
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I apologise for my late arrival. I thank HIQA for its report and also wish Dr. Tracey Cooper the very best in her new role in the United Kingdom.

I will focus on the 2,000-plus reports of abuse. Unfortunately, we all are familiar with how the child protection system works in Ireland but we are probably less informed about how the protection of the elderly works. The provision of social workers for the elderly is sporadic. One could not say that there is a consistent service or a consistent approach nationwide in how these are being dealt with. There is now the Child and Family Agency, which is dealing with child protection, but I am not sure there is an equivalent for those who are older. Would they have any comment on that? Is it something on which they should make recommendations in the future?