‘Cloak of secrecy’ around abuse of intellectually disabled

A Government backbencher has warned there is a “cloak of secrecy” around the wide-scale abuse of people with severe intellectual disabilities in hundreds of HSE-run care homes across the country.

Fine Gael’s Fergus O’Dowd made the claim after the Irish Examiner revealed 21 HSE workers have been sacked or suspended for alleged sexual, physical, and financial abuse of residents at care facilities for adults with severe intellectual disabilities since January 2014.

Details published on Saturday show that, over the past 18 months, HSE management has been aware of serious incidents at seven such facilities.