A resident at a centre for people with disabilities experienced “89 abusive incidents” over a nine-month period, a report from the State's health services watchdog reveals.

HIQA has found that two centres for people with disabilities have failed to improve their standards despite the threat of their registrations being cancelled.

The State’s healthcare watchdog found that three centres for people with disabilities run by Stewarts Care failed to protect residents from harm.

Hiqa is demanding legislation to protect those most at risk in the country’s care services from abuse, harm, and exploitation, after it found inappropriate staff behaviour, and unsafe practices across institutions.