Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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1918. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in light of the Farrelly Report when the promised robust adult safeguarding legislation will be introduced to ensure social workers can adequately protect and support adults at risk of abuse with mandatory reporting to ensure safeguarding concerns are recognised and reported, and that the system responds in a way which places the rights, wishes and needs of the adult at risk at the centre of all activity. [20499/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Safeguarding at-risk adults against abuse is of paramount importance and is taken very seriously by the Government. The Programme for Government 2025 "Securing Ireland’s Future" includes a commitment to publish a national policy on adult safeguarding for the health and social care sector.

The Deputy may wish to be aware that the Department of Health is currently developing a new policy on adult safeguarding in the health and social care sector in consultation with my Department.

The Department of Health is at an advanced stage of finalising this policy to further strengthen the existing protections in the sector. It is expected that these sectoral policy proposals will be brought before Government in the coming months, and that the preparation of related underpinning legislation will commence thereafter.

Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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1919. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for an update on the actions outlined in the Programme for Government regarding the establishment of a National Safeguarding Body to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of vulnerable adults. [20530/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Safeguarding at-risk adults against abuse is of paramount importance and is taken very seriously by the Government.

The independent Law Reform Commission published a Report on ‘A Regulatory Framework for Adult Safeguarding’ in April 2024. The Commission’s Report set out comprehensive and wide-ranging recommendations that have relevance across a range of Government Departments. One of these recommendations included establishing a statutory Safeguarding Body with a cross-sectoral remit.

The Programme for Government 2025 ‘Securing Ireland’s Future’ includes a commitment relating to all sectors to explore the establishment of a National Safeguarding Body to ensure the health, safety and welfare of vulnerable adults. It is anticipated that this Programme for Government commitment will be carefully considered by all relevant Departments in relation to their respective functions.

Separately, the Programme for Government also includes a commitment to publish a national policy on adult safeguarding for the health and social care sector. The Department of Health is currently developing a new policy on adult safeguarding in the health and social care sector in consultation with my Department.

The Department of Health is at an advanced stage of finalising this policy to further strengthen the existing protections in the sector. It is expected that these sectoral policy proposals will be brought before Government in the coming months and that the preparation of related underpinning legislation will commence thereafter.