Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy has raised several important items. He knows as well as I do that if an inspection arrives from HIQA or any other agency, attitudes can change within a facility very quickly. That is why the HSE chief executive has pointed out the possibility of continuing to have undercover agents, whistleblowers and far greater scrutiny of what happens within the facilities. There is a requirement for a person dealing with vulnerable adults in each facility and for a safeguarding team in each region. It is impossible to guarantee that some other incident has not happened or does not happen in any other facility. What do we have to do to ensure that families and particularly the individuals concerned are not being treated in the inhuman way that we saw on television screens yesterday? What is the best thing to do? Deputy Martin pointed to the report on congregated settings. Many people have moved on from congregated settings but not as many as we would wish.

A regime of unannounced inspections is needed to ensure there is a continual stream of information about what happens here. When whistleblowers come forward, they must be protected and the information they provide must be acted upon quickly, efficiently, properly and professionally in the interests of the people who are in these facilities. As we have mentioned, Deputy Ó Caoláin spoke very movingly yesterday evening about his knowledge, which is based on family circumstances, of the challenges that face workers and individuals in these cases. I have to say I found it traumatic to see people who are completely voiceless and helpless being treated in this fashion. It is a case of not having any political division about what needs to be done here. We must do the right thing and do it effectively. The Garda and the HSE have been notified. The 59 recommendations made by HIQA have been implemented. It has been pointed out that the 100 hours of training that were given here were not implemented in any fashion by people who were professionally qualified nurses and FETAC 5 level qualified health care workers. This is just not acceptable. It has got to be dealt with and it will be dealt with.

See this speech in context