‘Don’t wait for death’ to hold inquiry
Sheila Ryan, whose 65-year-old sibling Mary Garvan was seen being subjected to sustained abuse on the RTE exposé, said the move was needed as she and other families affected have no faith in the HSE or Hiqa to carry out their own investigations.
Speaking on Today with Sean O Rourke, she said she was appalled by what happened, and hit out at how her sister — who is mute, has a severe form of autism, and has been at the home for 20 years — was treated like “an object” to control by staff.
Ms Ryan said the actions needed to be fully investigated. However, the former Department of Justice official said the State was not the body to do so properly.
“Torture is an evil in society and has to be rooted out. These [the investigations being put forward] are closed-door inquiries. We need a public inquiry into this. I am calling on the taoiseach and minister for health to instigate a public inquiry. Do not wait for somebody to die.”
Ms Ryan’s comments come as pressure mounts on authorities to take further action against the individuals alleged to have systematically physically abused and threatened vulnerable women with serious intellectual disabilities at the home.
Since the airing of the undercover footage on Tuesday night, calls have been made for the nine members of staff involved in the incidents — including four individuals repeatedly seen interacting with the women in the footage — to be immediately fired, go before fitness to practice inquiries and potentially face prosecution.
However, while expressing his anger at what has happened, the HSE director general, Tony O’Brien, said due process meant this was not yet possible.
He said the staff members implicated in the case have been placed “off duty” on full pay and that suspension or sacking is a move that can only take place after the completion of disciplinary action which is only just beginning.
A Garda inquiry is also taking place into events at the care home, with officers already interviewing the nurses at the centre of the controversy.
It is understood that, regardless of the allegations they are facing and whether they can be supported, none of the individuals will be arrested until after this investigation is completed early next year.
At that point, however, a file will be sent to the director of public prosecutions, who may decided on the weight of evidence to ask gardaí to arrest the nurses involved.
HIQA's inspection regime
- 2013: 814 inspections of 565 centres for older people, equating to at least one inspection at 99% of the registered centres.
- 78% of the inspections were unannounced.
- 7% of the centres were visited three or more times.
- The majority of the centres (75%) are privately run.
- Actions required following Hiqa inspection related to safe care in 31% of cases and effective care in 34%.
- Inspections of disability services for adults and children started on November 1, 2013
- Of 1,300 units providing care, more than 800 inspections have taken place.
- In 2013, 355 issues of concern were raised with Hiqa in relation to older persons and 63 concerns relating to people with disabilities.
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