Dáil debates

Tuesday, 2 November 2021

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions

 

2:35 pm

Photo of Thomas PringleThomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I want to raise a very serious case of abuse and neglect by the HSE at Ard Gréine Court in Ballybofey, and the delay in publishing the Brandon report, which outlines what was not done to protect the residents there. The report highlights catastrophic failures of the most vulnerable people by our health services. There is a catalogue of abuse and neglect. The report identifies limited reports of abuse and inappropriate sexual behaviour from 1991 and concentrates on the period between 2003 and 2016. In 2011, management reported the issue to the Garda, as did the whistleblower. In the same year, after the report to the Garda and HIQA by the whistleblower, the individual identified as "Brandon" was isolated within the centre and the abuse stopped. In 2013, because of financial constraints - that needs to be restated; it was done because of financial constraints - Brandon was moved back into the general population within the centre. The abuse started again and only stopped when Brandon was moved to a nursing home in 2016.

The HSE, the Garda and HIQA all have questions to answer in regard to how they did not respond to the needs of residents. The HSE has constantly moved to delay the publishing of the report. First, it was to preserve the identity of people. Then we were treated to the news of a Garda investigation on the day the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, met with families in Donegal to explain to them what was happening. Now we hear there are no charges in regard to the investigation but, apparently, the HSE is still delaying the report, saying it does not reflect what it did. If it wants to put on record what was done, why not publish its own report? Unfortunately, I would say it would be a very interesting but short read.

We see in today's The Irish Timesthat HIQA has admitted that it was aware of the sexual assaults, but it did not call that out in its reports in March and May of 2016 even though it saw it on the files in the centre. The Taoiseach has said previously that he wants to see the Brandon report published. The catastrophic failures by the HSE to deal with the issues, by HIQA to highlight them and by the Garda to deal with complaints have left families with half-truths and without the full story of what happened to their loved ones.

It is time to respect the existence of those without a voice, who the State was supposed to protect and defend. Will the Tánaiste call today for the Brandon report to be published and add the strength of the Dáil to the calls for publication of the report? Also, how can we be sure that there are no other Brandon-type reports gathering dust in HSE headquarters which we do not know about?

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