Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This State has a dark history of neglect and abuse of some of the most vulnerable in society. I am a member of the Joint Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth with my colleague, Deputy Funchion, and in my short time as a member, I have heard heartbreaking testimony from those affected by mother and baby homes and the real-life stories of those who have been impacted by forced adoptions. I am also very aware of the enduring pain inflicted on women and children in Magdalen laundries and industrial schools. The list goes on; I could mention other examples.

As a society, we must not forget our past but must learn from it. We must make amends to the people the State failed and ensure issues such as this will not arise again. I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Farrelly commission’s reports and the case of Grace. As was said, Grace was failed by the State and the people entrusted to look after her. She was failed by the South Eastern Health Board and an inept system that did not have proper safeguarding measures in place. Concerns that Grace was being abused were brought to the attention of the authorities but a decision made to remove her from the foster home was later reversed and she remained there. Grace, who cannot speak, was allowed to remain in the foster home by the health authorities despite suspicions of sexual and physical abuse.

Allegations of sexual abuse were made by a former resident in 1995. Red flags were raised but ignored. Forty-six other children passed through the home and I welcome the announcement their cases will be investigated because that is very much needed. Concerns of abuse regarding Grace were raised as far back as 1993, yet she remained in the home for a further 16 years. The State left an intellectually and physically disabled woman to remain with a foster family for 16 years, despite concerns about sexual abuse. That is 16 years of systemic failures by the State. This was either gross incompetence or people just did not want to know and simply looked the other way. The report charts various concerns that were flagged over these years regarding Grace's condition and discussions of her case among social care staff. In 1995, for example, her hips and arms were found to be bruised, and while in day service, she completely stripped herself for no apparent reason. Her behaviour was described as chaotic and she took to headbutting trainees. There is no evidence this bruising or these concerns were investigated at the time.

As I was researching the matter in preparation for this contribution, I was shocked but not surprised to learn that some of the people who had been entrusted by the State to care for Grace remain working for the HSE. There cannot be a circling of the wagons, as we have seen in the past. It is simple: those who were responsible must be held accountable. If they are not, we have simply learned nothing and the State will have failed Grace again. As was asked earlier, could circumstances like this arise again? The system remains chaotic and is still not working. There never seems to be accountability but this needs to be put in place. There are still too many changes of social workers into and out of children's lives, which leads to a lack of continuity of care, particularly for young children. There are still too many gaps in the system, which allow vulnerable people to fall through them, and we need safeguarding measures to ensure circumstances such as Grace's never develop again.

There must be accountability and we cannot settle for less. Grace should not have to settle for less. Those who have failed Grace and vulnerable children in the care of the State or of foster families on behalf of the State, must be held to account for their actions or inactions. There can be no cover-up or excuses and the Government must ensure all the appropriate sanctions will be applied to those responsible.

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