Health Service Executive

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 June 2023

Thursday, 29 June 2023

Questions (409, 410, 412, 429)

Fergus O'Dowd

Question:

409. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health with respect to the “Emily” case and the NIRP independent review which was carried out and completed in November 2022, if the community health organisation which the CNU was located in, carried out any separate reviews or reports into the grievous incidents that took place at the home; if so, if he will undertake to make any review/report public in order for the appropriate bodies to learn from this horrendous series of events; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31717/23]

Fergus O'Dowd

Question:

410. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health with respect to the “Emily” case and the NIRP independent review which was carried out into an unnamed HSE community nursing unit following a grievous sexual assault which took place in the CNU in April 2020, if he plans to publish the report which was completed in November 2022 in order for stakeholders and service providers to learn from the very serious incidents which took place, including the recruitment processes of the facility, the safeguarding processes which failed in this home, and the wider governance issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31718/23]

Fergus O'Dowd

Question:

412. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health with respect to the “Emily” case and the NIRP independent review which was carried out and completed in November 2022, if he can confirm whether the HSE has accepted the recommendations contained within the report in full; if not, if he can detail the reasons for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31724/23]

Fergus O'Dowd

Question:

429. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health regarding the HSE nursing home in which an employee was convicted of raping a resident, to clarify the number of referrals made by the HSE to An Garda Síochána following the public statement by the CEO of the HSE on a radio programme (details supplied) in relation to this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31838/23]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Mary Butler)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 409, 410, 412 and 429 together.

The Government takes matters and allegations of abuse very seriously.  

I would strongly encourage anyone who has a concern about the safeguarding of adults at risk within a health or social care service to make contact with the local HSE Safeguarding and Protection Team for that area.  If a crime is suspected, the matter should also be reported to An Garda Síochána. I welcome the HSE’s unequivocal apology for the failures in Emily’s care. I also welcome the appointment by the HSE of Jackie McIlroy, an adult safeguarding expert from Northern Ireland, to further examine issues relating to the Emily case, and to look at HSE safeguarding more broadly.  

As the matters raised are operational, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Question No. 410 answered with Question No. 409.