Micheál Carrigy (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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936. To ask the Minister for Health her plans to bring forward comprehensive adult safeguarding legislation; if she will confirm that the legislation will enshrine disabled persons right to live independently in the community, in line with Article 19 of the UNCRPD; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52107/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Safeguarding adults who may be at risk of abuse is a key objective for me and my Department, every statutory body under its aegis, and for all health and social care services.

A framework of standards, policies and procedures for safeguarding adults in the health and social care sector is already 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 national policy, the first of its kind in this area. This is a very significant development and will provide a framework for strengthening safeguards across all care settings. 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. I hope to bring this policy to Government shortly.

The new policy will build on the structures and processes that are already in place to protect against abuse. Importantly, it will commit to the introduction of safeguarding legislation in the sector and will set out, at a high level, proposed new legislative provisions.

The Government has included a Health (Adult Safeguarding) Bill in its current Legislation Programme to facilitate underpinning legislation for this sectoral policy. Preparation of this legislation will commence once the national policy has been approved by Government.

I also assure the Deputy that the forthcoming policy and the related underpinning legislation will comply with the State’s obligations under relevant international Conventions, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which Ireland ratified on 20 March 2018.