Rónán Mullen (Independent)

I support what Senator Jillian van Turnhout said and draw attention to the need to care for another section of the community. It is distressing to note the rise in the number of cases of elder abuse being reported. The HSE attributes the rise in the number of referral of approximately 9% in 2011 as compared to the figure for 2010 to factors such as increased public awareness of the issue and how to report cases of abuse. That may well be true, but I hope we are not at the same time failing to draw attention to the fact that there are pressures in society which may be leading to an increase in cases of psychological and financial abuse. It would be appropriate to have a debate on that issue in early course or incorporate it into one of the debates already planned because it is not one we should ignore.

A number of weeks ago, with other Members of the Houses, I heard a woman by the name of Reggie Littlejohn of Women's Rights without Frontiers speak about her work in exposing forced abortions and sterilisation in China. She mentioned to us the plight of Chen Guangcheng who I have mentioned in the House on a number of occasions in the past year and who has now reached a very high level of prominence in our society because of his recent high profile escape from China. While being rightly supportive of the Government's efforts to promote strong economic ties with China, a number of us in the House are also anxious that we do not overlook the issue of human rights. For his work in exposing forced abortions and sterilisation in China, Mr. Chen and his family were put under house arrest.