Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The recent abuse allegations surrounding a foster home in the south-east and the most horrendous treatment endured by an intellectually disabled young woman, whom we have come to know as Grace, depicts another example of the system that has failed to protect, respect and cherish those who are most vulnerable in our society. It has been revealed that Grace was subjected to the most horrendous abuse by her foster parent or parents and was left in this home for more than 13 years after it became the subject of abuse allegations.

Two whistleblowers in the HSE came forward in 2009 and brought to light the horrendous abuse endured by Grace at the hands of her foster parent or parents. On the back of these allegations, the Conal Devine report was completed in 2012 but it has still not seen the light of day. A second report into 46 other cases in the foster home was completed in 2015 and that too has not been published. This blanket of secrecy depicts perfectly in my mind how badly the HSE dealt with these most shocking of allegations. In this particular case, the actions or lack thereof by the HSE has been disgraceful. It defies belief that an attempt was made to claim that an apology had been issued to Grace and that the HSE then had to admit last Saturday that no official apology had been issued to her. Furthermore, this case raises wider questions regarding the way social services and the criminal justice system deal with abuse allegations against vulnerable people. Grace's disability was used as a means to prevent legal action. She and her carers were told that her allegations could not be prosecuted because she would not make a good witness due to her inability to speak.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time that such an appalling case of abuse of the most vulnerable in society has come to light and I have no doubt it will not be the last. A range of other settings have been exposed for malpractice over recent years. Back in 2014, we had the disturbing revelations of abuse in Áras Attracta residential centre in County Mayo. The critical question now is how we ensure that a situation like this is not taking place as we speak and that such outrageous abuse and oversight neglect is not to occur time and again into the future. I am in no doubt that the critical matter now is not just the address of the individual care home setting and the tragedy of Grace's abuse and health board and HSE neglect, tantamount to her having been written off by officialdom as a non-person, but that there is a need for a root and branch re-examination of the level of training, management and oversight right across the HSE and all care settings. That is what is required. Anyone who knows of other cases and has kept quiet until now or who has behaved badly themselves towards these people, the most vulnerable of our brothers and sisters, I say to them to go now, to leave, as they are not suitable people to hold such positions of trust.

That said, as I have a non-verbal, intellectually disabled brother, I know at first hand the great work that so many employed in these settings perform. This drip, drip exposé of dreadful behaviour by some must also deeply hurt those who are true carers in these settings - people deserving of respect and support. I find it totally unacceptable that, once again, our voiceless in care have depended on whistleblowers to shine a light on the treatment they have endured.

We are, of course, on the cusp of an election but it is still essential that we all - I mean all of us, together - ensure that the next Government, irrespective of its make-up, takes real and immediate steps to ensure this most wicked behaviour, that presents time after time in one incident after another, is substantively addressed, once and for all. For those who cannot speak for themselves, such substandard care must be rooted out, and fast. We must take the required steps to help ensure that the highest standards are understood in the first instance and implemented by those we trust to look after those defenceless loved ones from our respective families. We must examine care settings right across the board and instil through retraining and up-training the highest standards in management and oversight in every care setting in the land. Our voiceless must never again have to depend on whistleblowers.

I welcome the plans for a commission of inquiry into these abuse allegations but I cannot help feel that, for the Graces of our land, this is coming too late; they have had to endure too much. What we need to ensure is that there are no more like Grace and those who we have perhaps yet to identify and who have suffered equally grievously.

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