Liam Quaide (Cork East, Social Democrats)
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189. To ask the Minister for Health if she will provide an update on the development of new policy on adult safeguarding in the health and social care sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20968/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Safeguarding adults who may be at risk of abuse is a key objective of my Department, every statutory body under its aegis and every relevant service that interacts with such adults.

A framework of standards, policies and procedures for safeguarding adults in the health and social care sector is in place. This includes a National Safeguarding Office in the HSE, specialist Safeguarding and Protection Teams in each health region, designated Safeguarding Officers within services and specific regulatory requirements for residential care services which are inspected against by HIQA and the Mental Health Commission. Further measures are now being developed to strengthen this framework.

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. My Department, in liaison with the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, is at an advanced stage of finalising this policy to further strengthen the existing protections in the sector.

This will be the first national policy in this area and is a very significant development. Considerable work has already been undertaken to inform this policy, including an international evidence review, stakeholder engagement and a public consultation last year, which received over 250 responses.

To facilitate the development of appropriate legislation to underpin this sectoral policy, subject to its approval by the Government, the Government has included a Health (Adult Safeguarding) Bill in its current Legislation Programme.

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.