Mary Moran (Labour) | Oireachtas source

Watching the "Six One News" last night, I was absolutely shocked and sickened that the headlines in 2014 should relate to a homeless person who lost his life tragically adjacent to Leinster House. It made everybody here sit up. It is not that anybody was not aware of the problem. As others have mentioned, this happens in many places. It is perhaps more poignant because it happened outside the gates of power where we sit and debate issues. I welcome that the Leader has agreed to a debate on the issue tomorrow. I hope that we do not just have a talk tomorrow and instead come up with something to address the situation urgently.

I extend my sympathies to the family and friends of Jonathan Corrie. This matter has been raised in several occasions in the House and by people driving or walking past Leinster House. It has been noted that individuals who sleep rough nearby are losing their lives as a result of a lack of suitable homes for them.

I was also sickened by headlines relating to the psychological and physical abuse visited upon the most vulnerable people in society. I refer to events at Áras Attracta and the news which emerged last night in respect of this type of abuse being carried out there. Those who reside at Áras Attracta are adults with intellectual disabilities. It is deeply disturbing to hear about some of the allegations being made against members of staff at the facility in question. Those allegations relate to staff shouting at, slapping, force feeding and kicking residents. Families turn to the providers of residential services when their adult children can no longer care for themselves. I thank the RTE investigations unit for revealing what is happening at Áras Attracta. It is dreadfully sad, however, that it was necessary for a journalist to go undercover at the centre, particularly when an investigation had already been carried out in respect of an incident with took place in 2012. I urge the Leader to make time available as soon as possible for a debate on this matter and on the overall care afforded to people with intellectual disabilities in residential settings throughout the country. The families of those with intellectual disabilities deserve to know, with absolute certainty, that their loved ones live in a caring and safe environment in which they are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve.