Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the witnesses. We speak about safeguarding issues across a lot of committees in this house and more so in this committee. As safeguarding has been a topic of huge importance to us over the past few years, it is great to have the witnesses here. Adult safeguarding legislation is a programme for Government commitment and we are looking forward to that. My question is on the current legislation that is in support of protecting vulnerable adults. When we had HIQA in here a couple of years ago, its representatives highlighted that there had been 143 sexual assaults against residents in care settings. We know we have legislation on reporting and it is an offence not to report. I do not believe anyone has been brought up on that offence as of yet and in terms of people who are charged with safeguarding adults, we have Safeguarding Ireland, HIQA and the law. When people are failing and withholding information they have on particular situations, what is the role of Safeguarding Ireland in making sure the existing legislation is enforced and that people understand the existing legislation? As for children, there is the mandatory reporting and since the enactment of the Criminal Justice (Withholding of Information on Offences against Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012, it is an offence to withhold. Then we had 143 sexual assaults between 2015 to 2022. We had the calamity in Donegal where absolutely disgraceful occurrences happened that have ruined individuals lives and people knew about it. Where does the HSE stand and where does Safeguarding Ireland stand on the good legislation we have not being implemented?