Vol. 508 No. 2
14 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will give details of the work of the National Council on Ageing and Older People on the report presented to them, Abuse, Neglect and Mistreatment of Older People in Ireland - An Exploratory Study; the action, if any, being taken on this report; if he is arranging for an inspectorate to follow up allegations of mistreatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17427/99]
54 Mr. McDowell asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has implemented the recommendation of the recent report of the National Council on Ageing and Older People, which called for a working party within his Department to tackle the problem of abuse of older people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18245/99]
91 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will give details of the work of the National Council on Ageing and Older People on the report presented to it, Abuse, Neglect and Mistreatment of Older People in Ireland - An Exploratory Study; the action, if any, being taken on this report; if he is arranging for an inspectorate to follow up allegations of mistreatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17426/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 14, 54 and 91 together.
Following the publication of the report, Abuse, Neglect and Mistreatment of Older People: An Exploratory Study, by the National Council on Ageing and Older People, I have established a broad based working group to advise me on the formulation of procedures and guidelines on elder abuse. It will be chaired by Dr. Desmond O'Neill, consultant physician in medicine of old age. The terms of reference of the working group are as follows.
Having regard to the report entitled Abuse, Neglect and Mistreatment of Older People: An Exploratory Study published by the National Council on Ageing and Older People, to advise the Minister of State with special responsibility for older people on the development of principles, policies and guidelines in relation to elder abuse and, in this regard, to make recommendations in relation to such of the following matters as it considers appropriate: definitions and terminology; identification and screening procedures; assessment protocols and procedures; management of sensitive information; recording and reporting procedures; inter-agency communications and referral practices; intervention issues and procedures to evaluate their impact; any necessary changes in legislation and legal procedures; training of relevant staff in the statutory, voluntary and private sectors; and the need for appropriate structures to deal with elder abuse.
The initial meeting of the working group has been scheduled for 12 October. It will be clear, therefore, that this expert working group has a broad remit in relation to making recommendations as to how the problem of elder abuse will best be overcome. I am sure Deputies will accept that the precise nature of measures to be taken should await the outcome of the group's deliberations.
I can see from the Minister of State's reply why the elderly people who have served this State so well find themselves in this situation in their hour of need, particularly those in institutions. No inspectorate has been appointed since the report was published. This report was left in the Minister of State's Department for 12 months before it was even looked at. Nothing has been done since I raised this in the Dáil a number of months ago. I am very disappointed with the Minister. When does he expect to put an inspectorate in place, so that all public institutions can be inspected on a regular basis? Or is there no regard for the elderly?
I disagree with the sentiments expressed by the Deputy. In fact, more has been done in the past two years for the elderly than for quite some time before that. Naturally, there was something of a delay. In September 1998 the Department requested the national council to arrange for the publication of this study. Unfortunately, the council was not at full strength at that time. Subsequently, around December, a chairman was appointed and the council was brought up to full strength. Since then, it has considered it on a number of occasions. As the Deputy can see, a working party has been set up which will report to me in due course. If it decides that an inspectorate is necessary, that will be done with due consultation. However, we should wait to see what the working group chaired by Dr. O'Neill has to say on the whole issue.
According to the report, over 1,200 people have been abused. If they were children or in another country, every Member of this House would ask the Taoiseach and the Ceann Comhairle on the Order of Business every day what was being done about it. According to a recent report, 1,200 elderly people were found to have been mistreated. The Minister and the Government have done nothing about this. He tells us today that—
The Deputy must ask a question.
When can we expect to see action on this report? It is a simple question. There must be no more talk, no more committees and no more meetings. There must be action for the 1,200 people who have already been identified, and I am sure there are many more.
I am afraid the Deputy did not listen to what I said. Progress is being made on the issue. That figure of 1,200 people is speculative – there has been no concrete proof of that number. Already, each health board has its own remit and its own modus operandi in regard to abuse and all these matters. It is incorrect to say that nothing is being done.
Nothing.
We are looking at it on a national basis. This is the first time. There have been many reports since the 1980s and 1990s on this issue. No concrete response was made until our present response.
There have been too many reports. We need action.
Demolition man.
The Minister did a good job of that one with the hospitals—
Question No. 15.
We are looking after Castlebar, anyway.
We did that. Deputy Noonan was the man.
