Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I call on all parties and none to take this motion seriously, as it deals with a subject of concern for many families across the country. I pay tribute to the staff of the nursing homes who worked so hard under extreme pressure and in extremely difficult circumstances to look after our loved ones.

Their work is hugely appreciated. The nursing home managers who went to great lengths to ensure their facilities were full of kindness, support and security must be thanked on behalf of the many families who missed their loved ones for so long.

Unfortunately, the sector as a whole found itself in an unprecedented situation, which made it difficult to cope effectively. When Covid first struck, our nursing homes came under particular pressure. Figures reveal that up until the end of May, 2,051 deaths had been linked to clusters and outbreaks in nursing homes. Many nursing homes were unprepared for any infectious disease outbreaks. The consequences for many families were devastating. Each of these tragic deaths represents an individual and behind each individual is a family that has had to grieve the loss of a loved one through circumstances that were unexpected and for reasons that, in many cases, remain unknown.

There have been instances of poor governance and understaffing, and the poor provision of safeguarding measures was evident in particular nursing homes. Sadly, we have also seen instances of neglect. Many homes in the sector were unable to cope effectively due to chronic understaffing, weak governance arrangements, poor safeguarding provisions and a lack of investment. The recent "Prime Time" programme gave us some examples of these issues but unfortunately it was not an exhaustive account. It is for these reasons that Sinn Féin is backing families' calls for an inquiry to establish what went wrong and ensure that changes are made in order that such a devastating situation does not happen again. These calls have been echoed by Care Champions, an organisation that represents residents and their families and is supported by the Irish Association of Social Workers.

An independent safeguarding authority must be established within an appropriate State agency and adult safeguarding legislation must be expedited. Mandatory reporting of suspected neglect or abuse must be the norm across the sector and workers who come forward with concerns should be supported and protected. These reforms must also clarify legal rights and give social workers the right of entry and powers of investigation in suspected cases of neglect or abuse. Sectoral regulatory and governance reform must be fast-tracked in line with HIQA's proposals. Accountability at an organisational level, with appropriate penalties including criminal offences, must be put in place where a failure to govern safely results in harm or the death of residents. Residents in nursing homes deserve to get the best possible care and to know that they are safe. The mistakes of this pandemic must be learned from to ensure they are not repeated. I call on all Deputies to back Sinn Féin's motion and ensure these changes are delivered.

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