Dr. Siobh?n N? Bhriain:

I might just talk a little about the issue of safeguarding. We have different forms of safeguarding in different areas of care. For example, if a person is detained under the Mental Health Act, the safeguard is that it is reviewed by a tribunal, which is similar to a sitting of the Circuit Court. The tribunal consists of a layperson, a medical person and a legal person. That is a form of safeguard which reviews the reasons a person is detained under the Mental Health Act.

There are other areas, such as the safeguarding of care of children. The Deputy will be aware of and familiar with the Children First policy. For example, if we consider there are threats to, or concerns about, the health or safety of a child, that has to be reported to Tusla. That is a form of safeguarding. Updated work is ongoing in the Department on safeguarding for older people. My background is geriatric medicine and old-age psychiatry. If we have concerns about a person being subjected to undue coercion, being financially abused or whatever, there are safeguards in place.