Labour demands urgent reform of private care sector
Labour demands urgent reform of private care sector - The Labour Party
- Safeguarding framework urgently needed
Labour Leader Ivana Bacik TD has called on the Government to urgently overhaul regulation of private nursing homes following horrifying revelations of abuse exposed by RTÉ Investigates last week. Speaking during Leaders’ Questions in the Dáil today, Deputy Bacik demanded immediate action from the Taoiseach, including the establishment of a statutory adult safeguarding framework, a root-and-branch review of HIQA’s inspection practices, and accountability for profit-driven neglect of older people.
Deputy Bacik said:
“The scenes revealed on RTÉ last Thursday were shocking – but for many, sadly, not surprising. We saw vulnerable older people in private nursing homes being manhandled, neglected and humiliated. They were calling out for help and being ignored. Staff were using incontinence pads as makeshift sheets because of equipment shortages. This is nothing short of systemic abuse.
“Twenty years on from Leas Cross, the public is once again reeling. But despite expressions of sympathy and tributes to RTÉ Investigates, the Taoiseach’s response today fell far short. There was no timeline for change, no real accountability, and no mention of the voices that are still missing – the residents themselves.
“Absent from this debate are the people living in these institutions – out of sight and too often out of mind. If we are honest, systemic ageism has allowed a substandard care system to grow across our country. And it is deeply disturbing that so many families feel petrified about the thought of ageing or moving into a nursing home. I’ve heard from people whose loved ones were injured or denied basic medication. They tried to advocate, but were met with silence from HIQA, the Ombudsman, or the HSA. This is utterly unacceptable.
“HIQA, which was established after Leas Cross to prevent further abuse, is not fulfilling its duties. Reports are relied on by families – but in too many cases, they are misleading and dangerous. It is beyond belief that HIQA has been asked to lead the review of nursing home standards, despite its failure to spot the very abuses RTÉ exposed. The public deserves better. Older people deserve better.
“I’m calling on Government to stop paying lip service and take immediate action to protect older people. We need a safeguarding framework – as recommended by the Law Reform Commission last year. We need robust, independent oversight. And above all, we need to end the systemic ageism that has enabled the horrors we witnessed on RTÉ. Government must act now.”