Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I support the Order of Business as outlined by the Leader. Yesterday was World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. I was not aware of that myself until after the Order of Business. It is important to speak very briefly about it. As it happens, I had organised to have a meeting with Patricia Rickard-Clark, who is the chairperson of Safeguarding Ireland, which is a terrific organisation that does a lot of very good work. It believes in the dignity of every human being and that everyone is entitled to respect. I know that is something in which we believe very strongly. Elder abuse is not something that is really out there. We hear a lot about child abuse but elder abuse is hugely important as well. I will give two very small examples. During Covid, when everybody was afraid to leave their homes and there was nervousness, in some cases older parents handed over financial details and asked somebody close to them to collect the pension. In many cases, those rights were never handed back, which gives rise to concern. We know from research that a third of those over 80 are in some way financially abused. We had long discussions about coercive control and its impact within domestic relationships, but there is no crime of coercion in situations other than domestic, in terms of familial relationships. It is beyond time that we introduced legislation on adult safeguarding. I call on the Leader to make this a priority and to also ask if the Minister would come in. It falls between the Minister for Health and the Minister for Justice. It is very important that we put something on the Statute Book in this regard.

I also want to raise something that I know is common to all of the communities and towns that we live in; namely, drug taking. People feel very intimidated when they see drug dealing going on in streets and on estates, among other places. It is a very difficult and sensitive area for families. We all know the impact drugs have on families and communities, and Newbridge is no different. In the recent past we have had a number of engagements with members of the community. I have been liaising with the Garda. Just two months ago, the Garda set up a Kildare South drugs unit. It has made significant seizures and arrests in the Newbridge area. Yesterday, it seized €1.2 million worth of cocaine, cannabis and heroin. It also seized two people and a drug preparation unit. It is important to say "Well done" to the Garda. They are working on behalf of communities to make sure that the scourge of drugs is minimised.