Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Last night’s very important RTE documentary on Áras Attracta in County Mayo provided a shocking insight into the treatment of vulnerable citizens with intellectual disabilities. As the Taoiseach has quite properly acknowledged, this programme has deeply upset and disturbed citizens, not least the relatives of those involved and those with family members and loved ones in care. What we witnessed was nothing less than the physical, mental and emotional abuse of the most vulnerable of our citizens.

HIQA has stated that following an inspection of Áras Attracta last February, it raised its concerns with the HSE which then put in place an action plan. HIQA also states that it found substantial improvements during a follow-up inspection in May. The Minister for Health says the HIQA recommendations were implemented. If this was the case, the systems in place in care homes have been a catastrophic failure. Does the Taoiseach know what, if any, oversight mechanisms are in place in these institutions? While the HSE has ordered an investigation under an independent chairperson, Inclusion Ireland, the national association for people with intellectual disabilities, has said this is not adequate. Inclusion Ireland says it is not appropriate for the social care division alone to investigate its own service. Will the Taoiseach put in place a fully independent root and branch investigation?

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