Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will take it on board and the Deputy can rest assured that the Government will support the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, the Minister of State, Deputy Lynch, and the HSE in carrying out a proper evaluation of the entire process. The HIQA inspectorate and the HSE complaints are clearly inadequate in the case that has arisen in Áras Attracta. The first response was to the families directly affected by those persons with intellectual disability in the particular unit. All of the others were written to on 1 December and meetings were initiated with 56 other family groupings. They have all been offered meetings but some did not require a meeting, having been assured by telephone that the relevant family member was not in this specific unit.

I take the Deputy's point that there is no argument against this. It can be trying in many of these circumstances. The Deputy speaks from a fraternal perspective but I cannot speak in the same depth of understanding of what it means 24 hours a day. I assure the Deputy that having raised the matter, this is not acceptable under any circumstances. The analysis being carried out by the HSE, HIQA, the Minister and the Minister of State will have the support of the Government. The authorities are involved and the Garda are investigating the matter. It is one of a number of investigations which I expect to be carried through by the authorities.

The point made by the Deputy is a central issue, as this is probably not an individual or isolated case. We have seen similar cases in the past, and it is now a case of attempting to deal with the entirety of the issue in a way that stands up to the utmost scrutiny and standards. These particular and very special people and their families should be guaranteed to live in an environment of comfort, care and consideration, with those who serve them living up to the highest standards set by the principles of the HSE. I thank the Deputy for his question.

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