Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, is reported in the Irish Examinerthis evening as saying she plans to report any potentially criminal allegations involving abuse and neglect in nursing homes to the Garda. She repeated the point in her speech. As the Minister of State knows, potential abuse and neglect in HSE nursing homes are already automatically referred both to the Garda and registered safeguarding social workers. I therefore have a question for her. Is it now intended to change the law so this would automatically be the case in privately owned nursing homes?

The interview in theIrish Examinercannot just be about being seen to do something on a day when the Dáil debates a motion that highlights the Government's inaction. It cannot be an excuse for further inaction. In that regard, I ask if the Government will legislate to allow trained and professional safeguarding social workers to make unannounced visits to all nursing homes. Nursing homes were closed institutions for most of the pandemic and closed even to relatives much of the time. The history of closed institutions in this State is, in general, not something of which to be proud, particularly when it comes to the protection of people who have effectively been locked in. Giving social workers the legal right to make unannounced visits is a simple and practical way to improve safeguarding in our nursing homes.

I specifically say "our nursing homes" but they are not really ours. Once upon a time, they were ours, but that was before the programme of privatisation pushed by successive Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael-led Governments. Today, 80% of nursing homes are privately owned and run for profit. The for-profit nursing home model did not perform well during the Covid-19 crisis. I strongly support the idea that the privatisation process should be reversed and the nursing home sector should be taken into public ownership before being fully integrated into the public health system.

In her interview with the Irish Examiner, the Minister of State was also quoted as saying she favours shorter inquiries rather than a national inquiry. Will she confirm that she was quoted correctly? If she was, she is the first Minister or Minister of State to voice clear support for an inquiry or inquiries of some kind or other. Will she clarify that point? I have no issue with local inquiries but the demand may be so great, we will end up with a national inquiry, in effect, in any case. I will vote for the national inquiry proposal tomorrow.

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